


Back to Beacon Hills

by Littlestsociopath



Series: Is Ordinary Too Much To Ask For [1]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-12 18:01:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 24
Words: 39,693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29763471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Littlestsociopath/pseuds/Littlestsociopath
Series: Is Ordinary Too Much To Ask For [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2187519
Kudos: 4





	1. She is Back

A Type Two VW Camper with rusting yellow paint and a cracked left window sits in the driveway outside the McCall house, perfectly parked and inconspicuous to anyone, except Scott McCall who, upon seeing the car, knows three things. One, his sister was never kidding when she said as soon as she was sixteen, she was getting a camper even if it had to sit in the driveway waiting for her to come home. Two, the six am phone call he received from his sister yesterday asking about him and their mother, was a poorly veiled attempt to gather information, which he fell for spectacularly. And three, his sister was home, months too early to be for any good reason and she was going to try and avoid discussing it.

When Scott opens the door to a room that has been vacant almost consistently for three years and Violet is opening the window. “Hey,” she says slowly, “brother of mine.”

“Violet,” he says, staring at her. He hasn’t seen her in a while, and he isn’t sure what to say to the sister who he missed but also knows shouldn’t be here.

“Scott,” she says pulling out the emphasis on each letter. He looks around, at the two suitcases and the rucksack on the floor.

“What are you doing here?” he asks. Violet, having just gotten in from a very long drive from the airport and very very long flight from England isn’t best impressed with this question.

“Nice to see you too,” Violet sighs reaching for her leather jacket.

“And what are you wearing?” he asks. Violet ignores him, emptying out her rucksack onto her bed and throwing a few essentials back into it. “Violet?”

“Clothes,” she says. She understands his confusion, she really does. Scott and her haven’t spend more than a week together consecutively since she was thirteen, and whenever she came home to visit usually for no more than a few days she hid the amount she was changing. She didn’t want the criticism from her brother and the concern from their mother. But now, kicked out of boarding school, and home in America permanently she decided to go full out. She already knew she was screwed so why not out with everything? Even with that in mind, Violet had thought the ripped band tee, chained skirt and fishnets was considerably on the tamer side of her scale. Scott’s reaction only irritated her.

“Violet stop,” Scott says. Violet sighs and looks at him.

“What?” she asks.

“Explain, now,” Scott says. Violet reaches for a can of cola from her bedside table and popping it open she looks back at her brother.

“Fine,” she says. “Jade’s dad got reassigned or whatever, and it seemed like a permanent thing, so was being relocated to California, which was already a kick, but to Beacon Hills, no, that was a bit much for me. So, I did what every reasonable person would, I got myself expelled.”

“You what?” he asks.

“I got myself expelled, do I need to be simpler, I thought that was pretty straight forward,” Violet says.

“You got yourself expelled from the fancy, expensive English boarding school that you loved so much,” Scott says. Violet shakes her head.

“No, you misunderstand me, I never loved the school, I loved the people, I love Jade, Jade wasn’t going to be there anymore, so, I didn’t want to be either,” Violet says.

“That school was expensive,” Scott says.

“I know, and it was my inheritance money paying for it, it is better financially that I stopped attending,” Violet says, “besides it was GCSE prep, I’ve got an extra two years before I have to deal with that graduating nonsense, here.”

“You are just going to go to school, here?” Scott asks.

“Yeah, I already got the transfer papers started before I got on the plane,” Violet says.

“And what did mum say?” he asks. Violet laughs, walking to the window.

“Mum said nothing, because I haven’t told her,” Violet explains.

“So, you are just… waiting till she gets home?” Scott asks. Violet laughs, a dry laugh, mocking him.

“Not a chance in hell Scottie,” Violet says, “I have things to do.”

“So you are just going out?” he asks.

“Yeah, what did you expect big brother, want me to see around and wait to have an argument with mum?”

“You know it is going to be an argument then?”

“What part of the truth makes you think it won’t turn into an argument, you remember the arguments over going to boarding school, I dread to think what the arguments of coming back will be like.”

“You were thirteen,” Scott says.

“And I’ve only got better at arguing my point since then,” Violet says.

“She won’t like that.”

“See, argument.”

“I am begging you, begging you to tell me that you aren’t going to look at mum, and tell her, you got expelled from your fancy all expenses paid boarding school in England, because your best friend moved to Beacon Hills,” Scott says, posing it like a question but more of a demand. Violet sits leg half out the window, rucksack slung over one shoulder.

“You want me to lie to her?” Violet asks. Violet swings her leg over the window ledge. “And it wasn’t all expenses paid, it was my inheritance money paying for it.”

“Money you could only get if you attended boarding school, and you bought a car, I saw that in the driveway, so don’t act so hard done to,” Scott says.

“I was just pointing out the facts.”

“And now you are climbing out the window?” he asks.

“You sound surprised,” Violet says. “I haven’t seen Jade in six days.”

“You haven’t seen mum in six months.”

“Later.”

“Violet,” Scott says but she is already halfway off the roof. “You can’t avoid her.”

“Watch me.”

Violet McCall hasn’t walked around Beacon Hills in years. Whenever she visited, she didn’t even leave the house, she spent the time with her family like she was supposed to, they ate takeaway and they watched movies and they suggested they should have friends over and never did. When it was over Violet would get back on the plane to England and that would be it for another few months. But she knows where she is going, Violet checked the address six times since she left the house and she knows where to go. She could forget a lot about Beacon Hills, erased by time spent in England, like her accent or which words are spelt without the correct letters, but she couldn’t forget this place, even if her sense of direction left plenty to be lacked.

A car slows down as it passes her. Violet doesn’t look up at first, trying to remember if it was left or right next, but when it practically stops next to her, she starts to feel concerned. “Violet?” comes a familiar voice.

“Sheriff?” Violet says, looking up and seeing Mr. Stilinski in his patrol car.

“You sound different,” he says.

“It’s the English accent,” she says.

“You always sort of had one of those, all those films you made Stiles watch,” he says.

“Stiles liked detective films, he wasn’t getting away with only American films, I had to make sure he was educated,” Violet says.

“At nine?”

“I was an eager child.”

“Yes, you were… I didn’t know you were back in Beacon Hills,” he says. “Stiles will be very happy to hear it.”

“I bet he won’t even recognize me,” Violet says. He looks at her, and nods a little in agreement.

“You have gr… changed a lot in three years,” he says.

“Still a short-ass,” Violet says, “don’t worry, Scott hasn’t had a chance to really make a point about it yet, but he will, so I won’t shy away from the fact in three years I haven’t grown any.”

“You’ve grown as a person,” he says. “I am just surprised Melissa didn’t mention it, she is usually so excited when you come to visit.”

“Visit, yes,” Violet says.

“Oh,” he says, pausing, “you have that look.”

“What look?” Violet asks.

“The you put blue paint in the Lydia Martin’s pool look,” he says. Violet smiles a little.

“Oh, that look,” Violet says.

“You are going to cause a lot of trouble for me, aren’t you Violet?” he asks.

“Hey, I keep Stiles in line,” Violet defends.

“You keep him focused, I’m not sure that is always a good thing” he sighs. “Three hours.”

“Three hours?” Violet asks.

“Until I tell your mum I saw you, can you get whatever you want done before then?” he asks.

“I sure can, thank you Sheriff,” Violet says.

“Violet, how many times just call me Noah,” he says.

“That would be like calling mum Melissa, I just can’t hack it,” Violet says disappearing further down the road.

Stiles pulls up in the jeep outside and Scott is quick to climb in the passenger seat. Stiles attention is fixed on the camper in the driveway. “What is that?” Stiles asks.

“It’s Violet’s” Scott says.

“Has she even got her license yet?” Stiles asks.

“She had it delivered here,” Scott says, “but I think license is top of her list, now she is back.”

“She is back?” Stiles asks.

“Yeah, and we need to go get her.”

“Why?”

“Because she got herself kicked out of boarding school, and we need to convince her to tell a better lie than that so mum doesn’t kill her.”

“Fair enough.”

Violet looks at the house with the blue painted front door and smiles. Through the drawn curtains it is still clear to see moving boxes and the chaos that is the first week in a new house, the car parked in the driveway belongs to one of Jade’s parents, which means someone is home besides Jade. Violet isn’t sure what, if anything at all, Jade has told her parents about what Violet has done, and it makes her reluctant to knock.

_Jade, I’m outside, you here? – V_

“You could have knocked,” Jade says opening a top window and leaning out of it.

“I didn’t know who was home,” Violet says. Jade looks at her, stood awkwardly in the driveway, in fishnets.

“The doors open edge lord, come in.” 

Jade and Violet met on Violet’s first day at boarding school. Violet was not happy to be there, Violet had already had enough trouble finding where she fitted in back home in Beacon Hills, and although she knew it wasn’t the case, it felt very much like her family had decided to pack her up and send her away because it was easier. Violet knew she wasn’t an easy child, and Melissa, her mother, dealt with her better than she expected anyone else could, but it didn’t make it easy. Especially with Melissa being a single parent and Scott also not being an easy child. So, when it came time for Violet to go to boarding school, it felt very much like a punishment. Even with the reassurance of all the pretty girls she could meet, she felt more alone than ever.

So, when she opened her dorm room to find Jade, sat in cozy knitted sweater, camera in hand as she tried to get it to focus through the glass window of their dorm, Violet was surprised to say the least. “Just a second,” Jade had said before attempting to take the photo and turning to look at her. “Sorry, I was… never mind,” she offered her hand, “Jade.”

“Violet.”

“Nice to meet you Violet, would you like a tea?”

Violet adored her instantly. Her entire life she had to share with her brother, she shared his friends, she shared time, activities, nothing was really hers. Not even her only friend that was considered hers not her brothers, Erica, because even Erica, with her eyes set on Stiles Stilinski was somehow being shared with Scott. She hadn’t minded, she hadn’t known any better. She was grateful to be there, to be loved with the same kind of familiar love as Scott, considering it wasn’t guaranteed for her. In her circumstances.

Jade was different, Jade never made Violet feel like she was competing for attention or friendship, or affection. Jade was her own person in a way Violet wanted to be. It was thanks to Jade that Violet had become the person she was, and she loved her for it.

Violet sits on Jade’s bed and looks to Jade who is almost done unpacking, unlike her parents. “How are you finding it?” Violet asks.

“I haven’t left the house Vi,” Jade says.

“Touché,” Violet says looking at the wall, the photos she has already put up. Violet points to a photo of herself leaning against a fire fence from their trip last spring. “I look good in that one.”

“You look good in all of them,” Jade says, “it’s my duty as photographer to make sure that is true.”

“Hush,” Violet says.

“Did you really get kicked out of school because of that one comment I made?” she asks.

“No,” Violet says, “but it contributed.”

“I was kidding,” Jade says.

“I couldn’t have you in Beacon Hills, my literal home, and me stuck in school,” Violet says. “That would be worse than torture.”

_“Violet I have to tell you something,” Jade says._

_“Tell me,” Violet says sipping on her forth coffee._

_“I’m moving, dad got relocated, and we have to go, all of us,” Jade says. Violet puts her cup down and leans up against the dorm wall._

_“What? Where?”_

_“California,” Jade says. Violet winces. “That’s not the worst part.”_

_“You aren’t,” Violet says. Jade nods. “Beacon fucking Hills, are you kidding me?”_

_“I wish,” Jade says._

_“I am not standing for this, you don’t get to move basically next to my brother and leave me here,” Violet says._

_“Is your brother cute?” Jade asks. Violet grabs a pillow and throws it at her. “I was kidding. Kind of.”_

“You never even answered me,” Jade says.

“I can’t tell you if my brother is cute, because funnily enough that is weird and I don’t know,” Violet says.

“You’re cute, does he look like you?” Jade asks. Violet gives her a look. “Oh, right, no he doesn’t.”

“Same brown eyes, same natural hair, that’s about it,” Violet says.

“It has occurred to me now, that it is a little weird that in our three years of friendship you haven’t showed me a picture of your brother,” Jade says.

“I have, I had that picture of me, him and Stiles by my bed,” Violet says.

“And you’re all ten in it,” Jade says.

“I haven’t even seen Stiles since I moved to England,” Violet says.

“You’ve spoken to him,” Jade says.

“I haven’t seen him though,” Violet says. Her phone buzzes and she ignores it.

“You aren’t going to take that?” Jade asks.

“It could only be Scott,” Violet says, “no one else knows I am here, and no one wants to risk calling England with those charges.”

“You haven’t told anyone yet, have you?”

“I told Scott.”

“Did he catch you climbing out a window?” Jade jokes. Violet bites her lip. “You didn’t!”

“I had to see you,” Violet says, “I missed you.”

“You are such a dork.”

“Let’s go get coffee, before I am grounded for the rest of my life.”

“Fine, but you’re paying right?”

“Of course, I am paying.”

The jeep pulls up outside the drive through section just as Jade and Violet walks out with drinks in hand. “Stop,” Scott tells Stiles.

“I thought we were looking for your sister,” Stiles says.

“Found her,” Scott says. Stiles looks at Jade and Violet.

“That’s Violet?” Stiles asks, parking the car.

“Violet,” Scott calls.

“Fuck,” Violet says, “I thought we had another twenty minutes maybe.”

“That’s your brother?” Jade asks.

“Yeah, that’s Scott,” Violet says. Jade tilts her head from side to side.

“I mean,” Jade says.

“Don’t say it,” Violet says.

“You have to come home,” Scott says.

“I don’t have to do anything,” Violet says. “This is Jade by the way.”

“Hi Jade,” Scott says not looking at her. Violet leans forward and pushes Scott’s head so he actually looks at Jade, and it works. He looks at her and he forgets what he was about to say to Violet.

“Hey,” Jade says, “nice to meet you.” Scott smiles, that puppy smile Violet remembers so much from her childhood, and knowing she now has a few moments before Scott remembers why he was here, she turns to Stiles.

“Stilinski,” Violet says, “good to see you.”

“You…” Stiles says, looking her up and down, “look different.”

“It has been three years Stiles.”

“No, I just mean you got…” Stiles tries to search for the words.

“I got what?” Violet asks. Stiles looks at Scott, who is really not paying attention to what Stiles is saying, talking to Jade.

“…Hot,” Stiles says. Violet laughs a little awkwardly.

“Thank you,” Violet says, “you’re handsome as ever.”

“This is where, isn’t it?” Stiles says. Violet nods.

“So weird,” she says.

“Remind me of something, anything to make things less weird,” he says.

“Halloween, two thousand and eight you thought you could wear your dads uniform, despite being a literal child and insisted it was fine but you were so swamped in the outfit that-,”

“I remember,” Stiles says.

“Or when we were ten, and with Lydia, you used to have a huge crush on her, so I decided it would be funny-,”

“I remember that too,” Stiles says, “back to seeing you as the annoying sister I never had.”

“Good, other brother of mine,” Violet says, she learns forward to whisper a little more, “just because I’m pretty small, I didn’t grow much up in the last three years, but I am aware I did change in some ways, and because I’m so small, I notice if you aren’t looking at my eyes.”

“Noted,” Stiles says getting flustered. Violet shoves his shoulder.

“I’m teasing you Stiles,” Violet says, “I missed you.”

“I missed you too, watching your brother fail at talking to girls isn’t as fun without someone to laugh at him with,” Stiles says.

“Why does he still try?” Violet asks.

“Actually, there is one girl he has made some progress with,” Stiles says.

“What? Poor girl,” Violet says.

“Her name is Allison, remember Allison,” Stiles says. Scott looks at the two of them.

“What?” Scott asks.

“You got a girlfriend Scott?” Violet asks. Scott laughs.

“Not exactly,” Scott says, “Allison is really cool, she is new, and we are hanging out, it's complicated.”

“Anyway,” Violet says, turning back to Jade. “Jade this is Stiles.”

Stiles offers his hand to her and looks at her for the first time properly. She smiles and he can’t help but smile back. Jade has a contagious positivity, a joy and hope that often even pulled Violet back from the edge, and for Stiles, it was almost instantly overwhelming. “Jade,” he says, as she takes his hand.

“That is correct,” Jade says.

“She is why you got yourself kicked out of school?” Stiles asks.

“She is,” Violet says.

“I get that,” Stiles says. Jade laughs, thinking he is joking.

“Is it weird if I say she is attractive?” Stiles whispers to Violet.

“Stiles, you’re not blind, I’d be offended if you didn’t,” Violet whispers back before taking Jade’s arm. “Now boys, I appreciate what you were trying to do, but I am dealing with mum in my own way, and that’s my choice to make, I am going to go enjoy a caffeinated drink with my friend because I missed her, and you are going to leave me alone.” She looks at Stiles, “see you soon Stilinski. If I survive” she turns to Scott, “and I’ll see you at home.”

“Bye boys,” Jade says waving at them as they walk away.

“Maybe Jade will be a good influence on her,” Stiles offers Scott.

“The one thing that was reassuring Stiles about everything that happened lately, was Violet was far away from it, and now she is back in Beacon Hills, and she got into trouble more than us,” Scott says, “and I got turned into a werewolf, what do you think that means for her?”

“Not good things.”

“Exactly.”


	2. Grounded

“So, let’s go over this, one more time,” Melissa says. They have been at the table for over an hour and Scott has been watching the entire time.  
“I don’t know what I can say that I haven’t already explained six times,” Violet says.  
“You got expelled, from boarding school,” Melissa says.  
“Correct,” Violet says.  
“Intentionally?”  
“Yes.”  
“And then, you booked a flight home, bought a second-hand car, got on a plane, got a bus back to Beacon Hills, all unsupervised and then just decided to go out for coffee?”  
“You have that all correct,” Violet says.  
“And the main thing, the main part, the reason you did this, all of this?” Melissa asks.  
“I didn’t want to be at boarding school anymore, I don’t know why you are mad, you always said you didn’t really want me to go,” Violet says.  
“I also don’t want you to sabotage your education,” Melissa says.  
“That’s the issue here?” Scott asks.  
“Don’t,” Melissa warns him.  
“Wait, why are you mad at me?” Scott asks.  
“She called you, and you didn’t tell me, she got home, and you didn’t call me, you’re an accomplice,” Melissa says. Violet has a small smile on her face that she tries her best to hide.  
“Mum he didn’t do anything,” Violet says.  
“That’s exactly the problem,” Melissa sighs, ragging a hand through her hair. “I never wanted to two to feel like you had to work against each other, but equally you have to tell me if you think your sibling is going to do something this reckless.”  
“Again, in Scott’s defence he didn’t know until it was far too late,” Violet says, “I called him from the airport.”  
“I can’t look at either of you right now,” Melissa says, “go to your rooms.”  
“Mum, you don’t-,”  
“I’m serious Scott, go,” she tells him. 

Violet has not left the house since Melissa found out about her, and it’s been two days. “I’m coming over,” Jade tells her over the phone.  
“I’m grounded,” Violet says.  
“I’m not,” Jade reminds her before hanging up. Violet, very aware of Melissa’s mood is quick out of bed and down the stairs. Melissa, who is on the phone to the school, gives her a look as she comes into the kitchen.  
“On hold?” Violet asks.  
“For the sixth time this morning,” Melissa says.  
“Arent you glad I’m home?”  
“We aren’t at the joking about this stage, not for a while,” Melissa tells her.  
“Can I at least tell you about Jade?” Violet says.  
“You’ve told me about Jade, plenty over the last three years,” Melissa says, “she was all you talked about, I thought maybe there was something more you had left out about her, but I didn’t think she was drop out of school material.”  
“She’s not my girlfriend, she’s my best friend,” Violet says.  
“And she asked-,”  
“She never asked, she didn’t even know I was going to, not seriously, I made a joke and then I went through with it,” Violet says.  
“Why?” Melissa asks.  
“I missed home,” Violet says, half a lie, “and with Jade leaving school, school wouldn’t feel right anymore,” a full truth, “I missed you and Scott,” not a lie, “and if everyone I cared about was in Beacon Hills, why not come home,” a full truth, “I just didn’t know how else to do that except get kicked out,” a full lie.  
“You could have talked to me,” Melissa says.  
“And have you talk me into graduating at boarding school?” Violet asks.  
“Would that have been so awful?”  
“Yes, yes it would have, months and months, I couldn’t,” Violet says.  
“You couldn’t what?” Melissa asks.  
“Look Jade’s parents aren’t ever home,” Violet knows she is playing a low card right now, a real dirty shot, but it isn’t a lie, “I didn’t want her to spend her time settling into Beacon Hills, feeling alone.”  
“Is that why you spent last Christmas in England?” Melissa asks.  
“Jade and I feel less alone when we are together,” Violet says. Melissa presses the phone to her chest.  
“Why do you feel alone?” Melissa asks. Violet really doesn’t want to answer that question.  
“Mum-,” the doorbell rings and a wave of relief rushes over her. “You should get that.”  
“Why?” Melissa asks. Violet takes the phone from her hand.  
“Because you don’t want me getting it,” Violet says.  
Jade stands in the doorway. “Hello Miss McCall,” Jade smiles.  
“It’s Melissa,” Melissa says, “Jade, Violet’s grounded right now.”  
“I know,” Jade says walking past her and into the hallway.  
“She can’t come out,” Melissa tries to continue but Jade is already looking for a kettle.  
“Don’t you have a kettle?” Jade asks Violet.  
“In my room, I brought a back from England,” Violet says.  
“Plug in?” Jade asks.  
“It’s in my bedroom,” Violet says, pointing out the obvious.  
“Violet is grounded,” Melissa tries again.  
“Yeah, she can’t come out,” Jade says, “but I am not grounded, so I can come over. Nice to meet you Melissa.” Jade disappears up the stairs.  
“Second door,” Violet calls up after her. Melissa looks at Violet, arms crossed. “It’s Jade.”  
“You knew she was coming, didn’t you?” Melissa asks.  
“I had an inkling,” Violet says.  
“Is that why you told me what you did?” Melissa asks.  
“Would you believe me if I said anything but yes?” Violet asks. Melissa shakes her head. “Why ask questions you know answers too?”  
“I’m hoping I’m wrong, mostly,” Melissa admits. She turns to see Jade leaning over the banister.  
“Did you want anything?” Jade asks.  
“Out of my stash or yours?” Violet asks.  
“Either,” Jade says.  
“I’ll have jasmine green tea if you have one,” Violet says. Jade laughs.  
“If,” she mumbles as she disappears again.  
“I like her,” Melissa says, “she shouldn’t be here, but I like her.”  
“Does that mean she doesn’t have to go?” Violet asks.  
“I’ve never managed to get Stiles out of this household when he shouldn’t be here, I don’t see this going any differently,” Melissa says.  
“Love you mum,” Violet says. Melissa’s expression softens. Violet doesn’t say I love you much, so it is always a nice surprise when she does. Violet said it without thinking, it has been a long time since she saw her properly, and Melissa is glad she is home, she missed her. The circumstances are just difficult. “Mum, the phone,” Violet says as someone starts talking down the over end.  
“Right,” she says taking the phone from her, “we aren’t done talking about this.”  
“I know,” Violet says heading up the stairs.  
“Don’t have too much fun, you’re grounded remember,” Melissa says.  
“We are doing school prep, we both start back on Monday,” Violet yells.  
“Wait, when why am I on the phone to school, you didn’t tell me they accepted your re-enrollment?” Melissa asks.  
“You didn’t ask.”

Violet is lain on back with her legs up vertically against her bedroom wall, Jade lain on her bed still absorbing the state that is Violet’s childhood bedroom and mentally planning the redecoration when Scott opens the door. Just out the shower, with wet hair and just a towel, he doesn’t look up as he walks in.  
“Violet you’ve been back two days, where the he- Jade,” Scott realizes the company and immediately looks embarrassed. Jade turns to look at him, nods and then looks back towards Violet. “What is Jade doing here, we are grounded.”  
“Jade isn’t,” Violet says.  
“Mum just let her in?” Scott asks. Violet laughs, moving from her position against the wall to sitting normally on the bed.  
“I wouldn’t say that, she just walked in,” Violet says. Jade smiles at her. “Mi casa es su casa.”  
“How is mum okay with that?” Scott asks.  
“We are prepping for school, Jade and I shared a dorm for three years, mum couldn’t stop her if she wanted to,” Violet says.  
“Do you just walk around in a towel often Scott?” Jade asks. Scott goes back to looking embarrassed and starts to walk out the room.  
“Wait, did mum say you are on the team for lacrosse?” Violet asks. Scott nods.  
“Yeah,” he says, half out the door, with the door mostly closed.  
“Team that desperate?” Violet asks.  
“I’m good actually,” Scott says.  
“You’re asthmatic and your reflexes leave a lot to be desired big brother,” Violet says.  
“Like you’d know, you’ve never gone to a sports game in your life,” Scott says.  
“Not true, mum dragged me to several when we were like eleven,” Violet says.  
“Doesn’t count,” Scott says leaving.  
“Your brother is pretty,” Jade says.  
“He’s a pretty big pain,” Violet says, placing some sheets of paper in Jade’s hand.  
“Homework, already?” Jade teases.  
“It’s just the information about Beacon Hills High, place is a mess, but there’s stuff you need to know.”  
“I decide what I need to know.”  
“You always do.”  
“And I am always right.”


	3. About The Car

There is a gentle knock on the door and both Jade and Violet share a look. “Come in?” Violet says. Melissa opens the door to see the two girls looking at her with an array of confusion on their faces.  
“It’s polite to knock,” Melissa says.  
“Scott doesn’t knock,” Violet says.  
“Point and case,” Melissa says. Violet chuckles a little and it seems to relax Melissa, in a way she hasn’t been relaxed in a while. “I was just wondering if Jade is here for dinner.”  
“What are we having,” Violet says at the exact same moment that Jade replies ‘yes please.’  
“Takeaway,” Melissa says, “I was thinking Chinese if you wanted.”  
“Always,” Violet says.  
“I could cook,” Jade says.  
“There is nothing in the house,” Violet and Melissa say together.  
“I see where you get it from,” Jade says. “That’s a compliment,” Jade adds quickly.  
“I’m sure it is,” Melissa says closing the door behind her.  
“Your presence calms her,” Violet says, “she barely spoke a word to me all day and now you’re here and she is playing happy families.”  
“I know you have a complicated relationship,” jade says. “But she is here, she is trying, she is just processing, you did drop a lot on her.”  
“She didn’t even yell,” Violet says.  
“Did you want her too?”  
“Maybe a little, she barely raised her voice at all, she was just sad and disappointed,” Violet says.  
“She doesn’t seem like the type to yell,” Jade says.  
“She isn’t, not really,” Violet says.

“About the car,” Melissa says as Violet reaches for another spring roll.  
“Ambush, rude,” Violet says.  
“Not an ambush, I just have some questions,” Melissa says.  
“I am getting my licence on Thursday,” Violet says.  
“Confident,” Melissa says, “but that wasn’t it. How did you pay for that?”  
“The same way I pay for everything,” Violet says.  
“That’s the thing though, isn’t it,” Melissa says reaching for more noodles. “The conditions of that money, was to attend the school-,”  
“And I did,” Violet says.  
“But you didn’t finish,” Melissa says.  
“Wasn’t a condition,” Violet says, “if it was, why did I get access to the money the day I started. The rules said I had to attend, and I did, for three years, never said I had to finish.”  
Melissa stares at her, realising the entire foundation on what she was about to argue has just fell from under her feet, Violet is right, and it is maddening. “I hate it when my kid is smart,” Melissa says.  
“Luckily you only have that issue with one of us,” Violet says.  
“Hey,” Scott says, “that’s not fair.” Jade chuckles a little.  
“You don’t need to be smart,” Jade says.  
“I’m not dumb,” Scott says.  
“Sure, keep telling yourself that,” Violet says. Melissa laughs.  
“At least you're pretty,” Melissa says.  
“Can we address Violet’s smartass behaviour again, please, stop picking on me,” Scott says.  
“I get my monthly money like I have since I was thirteen, I no longer am required to pay for living in England so I get to keep a lot more of that money, and then when I’m eighteen I get the whole remaining inheritance, nothing has changed,” Violet says.  
“And it’s her money, it always has been, I can’t take it from her, or withhold it, it isn’t my right,” Melissa says.  
“So, that's it, slap on the wrist and she just goes unpunished?” Scott asks.  
“We’ve both been grounded,” Violet reminds him, “indefinitely.”  
“Equal punishment, which isn’t fair,” Scott says.  
“I have been dealing with boarding school rules for three years, I think you probably have more to makeup for than me,” Violet says. Jade laughs.  
“Because you are such a saint aren’t you,” Jade says.  
“Positively holy,” Violet says.  
“Are you taking up anything else now you’ve moved schools, either of you?” Melissa asks. “Beacon Hills High doesn’t offer archery or anything but I’m sure there is something?”  
“Jade does photography, so probably year book,” Violet says.  
“You couldn’t pay Violet enough to take part in anything with school spirit,” Jade says.  
“Maybe she is a good influence,” Melissa says to Scott, nodding at the two girls as they flip through the tv channels.  
“You’d hope, considering she dropped out of school to be around her,” Scott says.  
“I don’t approve of what your sister did, Scott,” Melissa says, “I don’t condone such impulsive and destructive behaviour, but I am glad she is home.”  
“So am I,” Scott says.  
“Then don’t make her feel unwelcome, after the first week of school, I’ll let this go, mostly, but if I have to stand to make a point, I have to try to be a little more angry at her than I am,” Melissa says, “so I need you to not be.”

Stiles stands in the doorway, “can I come in?” he asks Melissa. Melissa looks back at the girls, and at Scott who is stood with his hands in his pockets behind her.  
“Jade is here,” Scott points out.  
“He is grounded,” Melissa says.  
“Come on,” Scott says. It starts to rain and Stiles looks up at the rain clouds and then back to Melissa, who sighs and steps out of the way.  
“Get in Stiles,” she tells him.  
“Oh, we are having Chinese?” Stiles asks.  
“Violet’s pick,” Scott says.  
“Still got taste,” Stiles says throwing a smile in Violet’s direction. She doesn’t see him, she is fixated on trying to find something to watch.  
“Is he always like this?” Jade whispers to Violet, knowing she is actively ignoring everything in the corridor.  
“Always, all of them, are always like this,” Violet says.  
“Explains a lot about you,” Jade says.  
“I know it does.”

Jade has fallen asleep on the sofa and Violet starts to drape a blanket over her when Melissa comes back with a bowl of snacks. “She is asleep?” Melissa asks.  
“She hasn’t been sleeping so well, they have moved into a big house, and bigger houses feel more empty,” Violet says, “she is used to being crammed in a room with me, she is used to not having space. It must be very stranger for her.”  
“Her parents haven’t called to ask where she is?” Melissa asks, looking at the time. “It’s late.”  
“They know she will be fine, or at least I like to believe it’s that they trust Jade,” Violet says, “she is very independent, as long as I’ve known her, she has been. She is always prepared for any and every occasion, she can handle herself, and I choose to believe her parents know that about her. I haven’t met them very much, they are very busy people, good people, but very busy people.”  
“You shouldn’t ever be too busy for their kid,” Melissa says.  
“Not everyone can be like you mum,” Violet says climbing under the blanket with Jade.  
“You’re acting all sweet and all, it’s worrying me, you’re going to go back to your sarcastic, smartass, bitchy self soon, aren’t you?” she asks.  
“Are you allowed to say your daughters bitchy?” Violet asks. Melissa shrugs.  
“If she’s bitchy,” Melissa says laughing and handing her the snacks.  
“I’m wounded,” Violet mocks.  
“You know I love you Vee,” she says.  
“I know,” Violet says, “and I hate to disappoint you.”  
“You didn’t disappoint me,” Melissa says, “you surprised me, and I am disappointed in your actions and your lack of faith in me, but I am not disappointed in you.”  
“If I had asked to come home, would you have let me?”  
“Yes.”  
“Easy to say now I’m here.”  
“I would like to think, if it meant this much to you, as it clearly does, I would’ve let you, and I would’ve hoped you’d believe that of me,” Melissa says, “I’ve never wanted to push you into things you didn’t want to do.”  
“I know, I was just scared and I didn’t want her to be alone, and I didn’t want to be without her,” Violet says, making sure the blanket completely envelops Jade.  
“She is welcome whenever she likes Violet, but I mean it when I say you’re grounded, at least for a little bit, you need to understand you can’t make choices like that, not alone,” Melissa says, “I never want you to think your only choice is to do something like that alone.”  
“I’m sorry that my actions caused you distress,” Violet says. Melissa sighs, knowing full well what Violet isn’t saying but is meaning. ‘I’m sorry I stressed you out, but I am not sorry for what I did, and I would do it again.’  
“You are strong willed, I wonder where you get that from.”  
“If you are suggesting I get it from him-,”  
“I would never suggest that, you know that you and… him have nothing in common,” Melissa says. “Now, try and get some sleep, and don’t spend all night on the couch.”  
“No promises,” Violet says.  
“I never expected you to make any.”


	4. Are You Ready?

Jade and Violet are asleep on the sofa still when Scott comes down for a glass of water. He pauses, looking at them, in the glow of the tv light. Violet looks so small, so little as she sleeps, like she’s ten again. He knows he could easily pick her up and carry her to her bed, but he also knows Violet would punch him if he tried, and that wouldn’t be the worst part. Because once she’d punched him, once she had shut the door behind her, she would lean against that door and she would cry, and he know she would. Scott doesn’t pretend he understands Violet entirely, but he knows the things that matter. She can change clothes, worsen her attitude, she can pick and fight her own battles, she can get herself kicked out of boarding school, she can buy a car, but she is still Scott’s little sister. And Scott’s little sister hasn’t let a person carry her or even pick her up since their dad, not even Melissa. The last night Rafael McCall picked her up from the car and carried into her bed and tucked her goodnight, a week before he left, was the last time she let anyone.  
So instead, he approaches them both quietly. Jade doesn’t stir at his presence, he isn’t sure if it’s that she is just a heavy sleeper or the reality she hasn’t slept properly in days. “Hey,” he whispers, gently shaking her awake. She looks at him, half asleep and blinded by the tv light. “Do you want me to make you up a bed or?”  
“No,” she shakes her head gently, “I’m well taken care of golden boy, don’t worry.”  
“Golden boy?” Scott asks. Jade gently shoves Violet who bolts up insisting she wasn’t asleep. Scott laughs.  
“Not asleep,” Violet says for the third time.  
“You have a perfectly good bed upstairs,” Scott reminds her.  
“We were watching tv,” Violet says. Jade rolls her eyes, grabs Violet’s hand and pulls her to her feet.  
“We are heading up,” Jade tells him. “Not that you should worry, we have slept on less comfortable things than that sofa.”  
“That makes me more worried,” Scott says.  
“Goodnight Scott,” Violet says.  
“Night Vee,” he says, “Jade.”  
“Scott.”  
“Stiles,” Stiles says from the top of the staircase. “If anyone was wondering.”  
“Back to bed Stilinski,” Violet says, “I can still kick your ass.”  
“You should join the team,” Stiles jokes.  
“Don’t give her ideas,” Jade says.  
“She hates sport,” Scott says.  
“But I love to spite you,” Violet tugs a handful his hair while sticking out her tongue at him, “get a haircut big brother.”  
“Ouch.”

“Are you ready?” Violet asks down the phone to Jade.  
“Violet, you ask if I am ready and then you’re always thirty minutes late,” Jade says.  
“I am deciding between a skirt and shorts,” Violet says balancing the phone between ear and shoulder.  
“Which ones?” Jade asks.  
“Slashed denim or layered black and grey plaid shirt,” Violet says.  
“Shorts,” Jade says and hangs up. Violet shrugging puts the skirt away and heads down stairs. Melissa looks at her and immediately bites her lip. The fishnets and torn short shorts with the chained crop top and leather jacket seem excessive and like a statement and for those exact reasons she says nothing. Violet smiles at her as she makes herself a coffee.  
However, Scott who is soon down the stairs and into the kitchen does not have the same sense. He stares at her outfit for a moment, Melissa looks at him, a warning in her eyes as she subtly shakes her head. But Scott doesn’t get subtle. “Are you wearing that to school?” Scott asks.  
“No, it’s my pyjamas,” Violet says sarcastically.  
“Don’t you think it’s a little?” Scott searches for a word.  
“No, go on,” Violet says downing her coffee and crossing her arms. “It’s a little what?”  
Stiles beeps the horn of the Jeep outside. “You kids better go, don’t want to be late,” Melissa says.  
“Saved by Stiles,” Violet says, “but watch it big brother.”  
Stiles, who is leaning halfway out the window, waves at them both. “You good?” he asks Violet.  
“We are swinging by to get Jade?” Violet checks, getting in the front seat. Scott stares at her, expecting her to move and he doesn’t. “Shotgun,” she mouths at him.  
“Of course, where does she live?”  
The Jeep pulling up outside Beacon Hills High wouldn’t be anything noteworthy, if Scott McCall wasn’t demoted to backseat while Violet leans out the window, appreciating the California warm air. Jade set next to Scott, still trying to finish her cup of tea from the abrupt arrival of the boys and Violet. Stiles looks almost smug as he parks up.  
Lydia who is stood with Allison by the stairs can’t help but stair. “Is that?” Lydia whispers to herself.  
“No way,” Allison says, watching Scott get out the car. “He is kidding right?”  
“What?” Lydia asks turning to her.  
“He ditches me at the party, he says he has a good reason but he can’t tell me, then he doesn’t reply to my texts all weekend, and he turns up to school with Stiles and two girls? Who is he?” Allison asks. Lydia sees the mistake but she can’t reach Allison in time. She marches right up to Scott, arms crossed and expecting an answer, instead he just smiles at her like a happy puppy.  
“Allison,” he says, joy in his voice.  
“Really, that is how you’re going to play it?” Allison asks.  
“See you later Scotty,” Violet says, planning to head directly to class.  
“Scotty?” Allison asks. “Wow.”  
“Wow?” Scott asks. “I don’t understand what is happening here, are you mad about something?”  
“Oh no,” Stiles whispers.  
“Am I mad about something?” Allison asks. “Is she the reason I haven’t been able to get a hold of you all weekend?”  
“Yeah actually, funny story,” Scott starts.  
“I don’t want to hear it,” Allison says, “I can’t believe I thought you were seriously interested in me.”  
“So, this is Allison, right?” Jade asks Stiles.  
“Yep,” Stiles says. “She’s misinterpreted this, hasn’t she?”  
“By the seems of it,” Jade says.  
“Allison what do you mean?” Scott asks.  
“What do I mean, you avoid me, for days, then turn up to school with her,” Allison gestures to Violet who is stood waiting for Jade, but now is redirecting her attention to Allison.  
“What about me?” Violet asks.  
“Do you know Scotty,” the inflection in her voice almost makes Violet laugh, it sounds weird to hear anyone else call him that, “went with me to a party?”  
“Wow, he actually left the house?” Violet mocks. “On the team, left the house, you surprise me more and more.”  
“Stop,” Scott warns her, and she jokingly raises her hand in surrender.  
“Oh, so you think it’s funny, you don’t mind?” Allison asks.  
“Why would I mind?” Violet asks.  
“That’s Violet,” Lydia says finally cutting in.  
“So?” Allison asks.  
“Violet McCall,” Lydia explains. “Scott’s sister.”  
“Oh,” Allison says. “I didn’t know you,” she looks embarrassed now, blushing and awkward, “had a sister.” Violet just smiles at her. “What about the accent-,”  
“She moved to England,” Lydia says. “Boarding school.”  
“I’m sorry,” Allison says, “I must have sounded crazy.”  
“It’s fine,” Violet says. “Jade and I have dealt with worse.”  
“Is she a cousin? Another sister?” Allison asks. Violet laughs.  
“No, Jade is my best friend,” Violet explains. “She moved to California, so I moved back with her.”  
“I feel like an idiot,” Allison says, “can I formally apologize for that?”  
“Can I offer you a tea, I have a flask, you look like you need something calming,” Jade starts.  
“Nothing to worry about cutie,” Violet tells Allison, reaching around Stiles and grabbing Jade’s arm. “We need to get to class.”  
The four of them watch Violet and Jade go and then Allison turns back to Scott who is smiling at the ordeal. “You thought?” Scott asks.  
“A girl in fishnets walked out of Stiles car Scott, she wasn’t going to be with Stiles,” Allison says.  
“Hey,” Stiles says. Scott throws him a look.  
“Are you about to try and defend how you could, in fact, be with my sister?” Scott asks.  
“Absolutely not,” Stiles says quickly.  
“But also Jade,” Allison says. “A cute girl sat in the backseat with you isn’t any more reassuring when you’ve been avoiding me.”  
“I was grounded,” Scott says, “I still am.”  
“Why?” Allison asks, concerned now.  
“Because Violet dropped out of boarding school and flew back here without telling anyone, and somehow that’s on me,” Scott says. Lydia smiles.  
“I mean, the look is a little much, but she has grown into herself,” Lydia says, “I like her even more.”  
“Not helpful,” Scott tells Lydia who just smiles and shrugs.  
“I never claimed to be.”


	5. Your Dork Is Showing

“Maths,” Violet sighs looking at her timetable.   
“Maths,” Jade repeats back to her in the same unenthused tone.   
“At least we suffer together,” Violet says, with half a smile.  
“That is actually of little comfort to me” Jade says.  
Jade and Violet are quick to grab seats at the back of class, hoping to avoid being both the new girls and picked on by the teacher in maths of all subjects, and yet Lydia’s entrance upturns all of that. “No,” she says, picking up Jade’s books from her table.   
“No?” Jade asks, puzzled at what she could have possibly done wrong already.  
“You can’t sit here,” Lydia says. Violet laughs.  
“Lydia, I don’t think,” Violet starts. Lydia rolls her eyes.   
“I am doing this wrong, please come sit with me, both of you,” Lydia smiles. Violet frowns.  
“Sorry, what?” Violet asks. “Nothing has changed right, you’re still Lydia Martin, on track to be prom queen, pretty, popular-,”  
“Rich, yeah, I am still that Lydia Martin,” she smiles. She turns to Jade offering a hand. “We haven’t been properly introduced.”  
“Jade,” Jade says taking her hand a little puzzled.   
“Please, come sit with me,” Lydia says, gesturing to a collection of empty seats closer to the front.   
“Lydia, I suck at maths,” Violet says.  
“You can’t be worse than your brother,” Lydia says.  
“I am,” Jade says, “I can promise you, I am.”  
“Well, you two bless me with those accents of yours and I’ll keep you out of the way of the teacher,” Lydia suggests.   
“I can’t really turn that down, Vi?” Jade asks.  
“Guess we are sitting with Lydia Martin, younger me is speechless,” Violet says grabbing her bag. Lydia looks Violet up and down.   
“Your whole thing,” Lydia says.   
“Yeah, what about it?” Violet asks. Lydia is wearing a summer dress despite the cool winds, it’s pastel and covered in light flowers, it is delicate and beautiful, much like Lydia. It couldn’t be much more oppositional to the rough around the edges look Violet has going. Lydia smiles.   
“You make it work,” she says, turning on her sharp heels and walking over to her seat.  
“I feel like I’ve fallen through the portal into a different sector of the multiverse,” Violet says.  
“Your dork is showing edge lord,” Jade says picking up her bag and heading to sit next to Lydia. Violet slips into the seat next to Jade and the wall and Lydia looks content with herself as Allison walks in and she is pulled into the other seat next to Lydia. Allison sees Jade and Violet and immediately becomes flustered.   
“Lydia why?” Allison asks. Violet leans over the table to look at Allison.   
“No hard feelings hot stuff,” Violet says. “I’m Violet, Vee or Vi satisfy, and I have to ask, what do you see in that brother of mine?”  
“I,” Allison looks down. Jade reaches around and hands her a cup of tea.  
“I know it is terribly patriotic of me, and stereotypical, but you look uneasy and I promise it helps,” Jade says as Allison takes the cup from her hand.   
“Weren’t you at boarding school?” Lydia asks.   
“It’s where we met,” Jade tells Lydia.   
“You’re British though, right?” Lydia asks. Jade nods. “That’s adorable. Why are you in California?”  
“My dads job, he gets moved around a bit and on this occasion, it seemed serious enough to move us halfway across the planet,” Jade says.   
“You travel,” Lydia sounds exciting. Violet smiles.  
“She hasn’t even started travelling yet, the plans this girl has,” Violet says.  
“So, you’re well off then?” Lydia asks. Jade laughs involuntarily.   
“No, nope, definitely not that,” Jade says, “when we get out of class I am searching up jobs all break.”  
“She has big plans,” Violet smiles.   
“And you always pay for dinner, so I have hope,” Jade says, scruffing Violet’s hair. Violet pretends to be offended before telling her that messy hair suits her better anyway.  
“I mean,” Allison whispers sipping the tea slowly. “If I had looked at her properly, for long enough, I probably would have seen it.”  
“Seen what?” Lydia asks.   
“The resemblance,” Allison says, “between Scott and Violet.”  
“What resemblance?” Lydia asks.  
“The brown hair, dark brown eyes, don’t you see it?” Allison asks.  
“Nothing to see really,” Lydia says, “Violet is adopted.”

“Maths hurts my brain” Violet sighs as the bell rings.  
“At least you can understand algebra,” Jade points out.   
“Its because it is letters, I am good at letters, it’s why I am so good at English,” Violet says.  
“No, that’s because you’re good at bullshitting and hoping for the best,” Jade says.  
“What makes you say that?” Violet asks. Jade side eyes her.   
“Your dating history,” she says. Violets jaw drops slightly and she shoves Jade gently who just chuckles. “You aren’t saying I’m wrong.”  
“I feel like I owe you both a proper apology,” Allison says.   
“You don’t owe me anything,” Jade says.   
“I told you pretty, nothing to worry about,” Violet says, “I am kind of flattered that someone like you would see me as a threat.”  
“Someone like me?” Allison asks.  
“Hot,” Jade and Violet say in unison. They high-five at waist height, trying to make it less obvious.  
“Isn’t she?” Lydia says. “I like to surround myself with attractive people. Speaking of, what are you two doing this evening?”   
“I’m grounded,” Violet says.  
“Right, getting kicked out of boarding school,” Lydia says. “Will you still be grounded Saturday?”  
“I have no idea,” Violet says. “But what is Saturday?”  
“Girls night,” Lydia says.   
“At your house?” Violet asks, leaning in a little, interested.  
“Of course,” Lydia says. Lydia notices the interest in Violet’s eyes. “You remember my pool, don’t you?”  
“How could I forget?” Violet asks.   
“Jade are your parents okay with that?” Lydia asks. Jade doesn’t miss a beat.  
“Honestly, I don’t think they’d know if I was in Mexico on Saturday,” Jade says with a smile. Before Allison can even ask Jackson puts an arm around Lydia joining the four of them by the lockers.   
“How is my girl doing?” he asks Lydia. “And who is this?”  
“This is Jade,” Lydia says gesturing to Jade who smiles at him. “And you remember-,”  
“Violet McCall,” Jackson says, the fake smile slipping from his lips. “No fucking way I heard rumors you were back in Beacon Hills.”  
“Jackson,” Violet says, “you haven’t changed by the seems of things.”  
“Why mess with perfection I guess,” Jackson says. “You however, you seem very different.”  
“I guess three years in another country might do that to a person,” Violet says.   
“How is, being back in that house with a guardian and a housemate?” Jackson asks.  
“I have more space than I did in my dorm, and more choice on my sleeping hours,” Violet says, before stepping closer to him. “And that housemate, I just call him my brother.”  
“But he isn’t your brother, is he?” Jackson asks.  
“Jackson!” Allison says, an appalled look on her face. Violet waves a hand.  
“Don’t get bothered on my account Allison, he is just projecting,” Violet says.  
“You haven’t grown up at all since we last saw each other, have you?” he asks towering over her.  
“No, but neither have you emotionally it seems,” Violet says, “and I bet I could still floor you.”  
“You didn’t floor me,” Jackson says.   
“I think she did actually,” Lydia says recalling. Jackson gives her a look. “What I am being impartial.”  
“Why are you befriending a McCall anyway?” Jackson asks. “Is it because she has all that money coming in?”  
“Jackson,” Lydia says now. “Sorry I don’t know why he is being an ass today.”  
“He doesn’t like me, never has, but that’s okay, feelings mutual,” Violet smiles, taking Jade’s arm. “We have music.”  
“See you at lunch?” Lydia calls as they start to walk away.  
“See you at lunch Lydia,” Jade calls back before they disappear into a classroom.   
“Why did you have to act like that?” Lydia asks Jackson, “I am trying to make friends.”  
“Why?” Jackson asks. “You have Allison, don’t you have enough attention?”  
“That was out of line Jackson,” Allison says.   
“Whatever,” Jackson says raising his hands and walking off. “Fucking McCall’s, they know how to cause trouble for me don’t they?”  
“When you told me about Beacon Hills,” Jade says, taking a seat. “I feel you described it very differently.”  
“It hasn’t changed at all, I just think I was very different then than I am now,” Violet says.   
“Surely you were always this fearless edgy bitch with a ‘can’t be fucked to bother’ attitude? Or have you deceived me?” Jade teases.  
“I had like three friends when I was a kid Jade, and one of them was my brother,” Violet says. “Lydia wouldn’t even pretend to acknowledge my existence, I was far too beneath her. Jackson only acknowledged me to pick fights, which he would lose and then act like a toddler about. I wasn’t a liked kid, I was a lonely kid.”  
“Well, you are hot now,” Jade says, “so everyone is going to want to talk to you.”  
“I am not used to that,” Violet says. Jade stares at her.  
“Violet, there wasn’t a girl at school who you wanted, you couldn’t have,” Jade says.  
“Except you,” Violet says.  
“I am just out of your league,” Jade laughs.   
“What do you girls play?” a guy asks from behind Jade.   
“She plays with people’s feelings and I play with the possibility that I am immortal,” Jade says. He laughs.   
“Who are you?” he asks.  
“Jade,” she says.   
“Danny,” he says. Violet looks him up and down.   
“No, no way, Danny Mahealani,” Violet says. Danny looks at her.  
“Do we know each other?” he asks.  
“It’s Violet, McCall,” she says.  
“No way,” he says, “wow, sorry, you just look different.”  
“I know,” Violet says, “so do you. Still sporty?”  
“I am on the team,” he says.   
“Nice,” Violet says.   
“What are you doing back in Beacon Hills?” Danny asks.  
“Why is that everyone’s question?” Violet asks.  
“Always why, never how,” Jade says.   
“My girl was moving to Beacon Hills, had to kick England and hop on a plane,” Violet says.  
“Oh,” Danny says nodding. “Cool. Nice to have you back.”  
“Nice to be back,” Violet says.  
“Nice to meet you Jade,” Danny says. Danny is leaning with one leg up on the chair next to him, reaching to get his instrument.   
“Stay still,” Violet tells him, recognizing the look in Jade’s eyes. Danny stays perfectly still. “Can she take your picture?”  
“What?” Danny asks.   
“Please?” Violet asks.   
“Why?” Danny asks.   
“She only gets that look when she sees a good shot,” Violet says. Danny nods, trying not to laugh.  
“Sure,” Danny says. Jade pulls her camera from her bag, already prepped to take the photo, like she had been turning the camera to the right settings in her bag, which Violet assumes she probably was. She takes her photo and smiles at Danny.   
“Nice to meet you too Danny.”


	6. Oh Stiles

Jade having Religious studies while Violet has English was a kick in the stomach Violet did not need today. But as she walks into class, holding the flask that Jade shoved in her hand as she left for her class tight to her chest, she sees the spot by the window is empty on the far side and is quick to move into the seat.  
“You alone?” Stiles asks, sitting next to her.  
“No, you’re actually in Jade’s seat, she is filling up her flask with hot water from the staff room,” Violet says.  
“Oh really?” Stiles says going to move. She grabs his arm.  
“I am kidding,” she says.  
“As the only person who actively uses sarcasm around here, go easy on me, it’s all I bring to the table,” he says.  
“Says the boy in a blazer,” Violet says.  
“You look like you got dressed in a Hot Topic,” Stiles says.  
“Thank you,” Violet says.  
“Can I ask you something?” Stiles asks. Violet nods, the teacher walks in and starts to write on the chalkboard. “It’s about Jade.”  
“My favourite topic, ask away,” Violet says. Someone walks into the class, later and the teacher eyes him as he makes his way to the back of class. Violet is aware that Stiles is talking but she isn’t listening. She late comer, a guy with curly hair and these deep blue eyes, doesn’t even see her as he makes his way to his seat, but Violet can’t take her eyes off him.  
“Violet,” Stiles says.  
“Yeah?” Violet says dragging her eyes away from the jawline and the sad eyes to look back at an unimpressed Stiles.  
“Were you even listening?” Stiles asks.  
“What I am coming to understand is you haven’t changed in three years and by that, I mean, please don’t tell me you are actually still chasing after Lydia,” Violet says.  
“What makes you say that?” he asks.  
“The way you tried to talk to her this morning, and the way she ignored you, like she does,” Violet says.  
“I saw you with her, and Allison, between classes, don’t act like you don’t think she is magnetic,” Stiles says.  
“I just think you could do better,” Violet says.  
“Than Lydia Martin?” Stiles asks. “Is there better than Lydia?”  
“What did you ask about Jade?” Violet asks.  
“What’s her deal?” Stiles asks.  
“Why don’t you ask her that?” Violet asks.  
“She is your friend,” Stiles says.  
“She is, but I also don’t own her,” Violet says. “All you need to understand about Jade without asking her, that I can tell you is that she is always prepared, oddly prepared, over prepared, she is always right, trust me, she just… is. If she doesn’t want to hear something, don’t tell her, she isn’t playing around she just doesn’t want to know, and she means that. She will always be able to conjure tea, it’s like witchcraft quite frankly, and she is horny for handholding.”  
“Sorry what?” Stiles asks.  
“What part?” Violet asks, eye drifting back to the back of class again.  
“The last part.”  
“Horny for handholding?”  
“Yeah, that.”  
“It’s just what she says.”  
“What does it mean?” Stiles asks, confused. Violet laughs.  
“You have to ask her,” Violet says. Stiles looks over his shoulder.  
“What are you looking at?” Stiles asks.  
“Whatever I want,” Violet says. “I am single, I am hot, and I am new in town.”  
“You grew up here,” Stiles reminds her. Violet shrugs.  
“I wasn’t hot at thirteen, I was barely even cute.”  
“You were… cute adjacent,” Stiles says.  
“Wow Stiles, you sure know what to say to a girl,” Violet says pulling a book from her bag.  
“It’s why I am still a virgin,” Stiles says. Violet almost chokes on her laugh. “You think that’s funny.”  
“Very actually,” Violet admits.  
“I don’t want to hear about your boyfriends,” Stiles says quickly.  
“Nothing really to tell,” Violet says.  
“So, you’re just winding me up-,”  
“My girlfriends however” Violet says. Stiles just stares at her.  
“You are joking.”  
“Oh Stiles, you’re sweet.”  
“You aren’t joking?” he asks. Violet just laughs and turns to the page. “No, you can’t just, Violet, talk to me.”

“That class was a breeze,” Jade says taking a seat on the bench.  
“Of course it was,” Violet says. “I’d say English was the same but this idiot,” she shoves Stiles, “was driving me crazy.”  
“Okay, Jade, what is horny for handholding?” Stiles asks. Jade laughs and Violet tries not to. “You are just going to laugh at me too? At least tell me this, Violet, what was her relationships like?”  
“Go on,” Violet encourages Jade.  
“Are you kidding me?” Jade asks. “Violet got attention left right and center.”  
“Age of consent is sixteen in England baby,” Violet says pulling some snacks from her bag. Jade eyes the shoddy pack lunch with disapproval and makes a mental note to bring lunch for Violet in future.  
“What are we talking about?” Scott asks, joining them with Allison and Lydia who looks unimpressed to be joining them on a bench outside, instead of her usual routine, not far behind him.  
“My sex life,” Violet says. The colour drains a little from Scott’s face and Violet cackles. “Sorry, I just had to.”  
“Changing the subject,” Scott says quickly. “How are you finding it?”  
“It’s high school,” Jade says, “what is there to say?”  
“I think there is a lot of potential in high school if you know how to utilize it,” Lydia says. Violet and Jade both look at her, and think the same, if anyone could utilize the boring existence of high school, it would be Lydia Martin.  
“No Jackson for lunch?” Violet asks.  
“He is with the team,” Lydia says, checking her lip-gloss in a pocket mirror.  
“We are on the team,” Stiles says, gesturing to him and Scott.  
“Barely,” Lydia says. “Besides his friends and him, not just the team.”  
“Jackson doesn’t like me,” Stiles says.  
“He doesn’t like anyone,” Violet says. Lydia considers her choices and then doesn’t comment.  
“Lydia, not that I am complaining,” Stiles says, “but why are you here?”  
“I asked the girls to have lunch with me,” Lydia says, “and they are here, so I guess I am here too.”  
“If I knew that was all it took, I would’ve got you kicked out of school myself, years ago,” Stiles whispers to Violet.  
“Lydia,” Violet asks, “why do you want to be my friend, I get Jade, Jade is cool, Jade is Jade, but you hated me in school.” All eyes are drawn to Violet now, her words seeming to want to pick a fight, yet Violet has a delicate smile on her lips and is only looking at Lydia. Lydia nods a little.  
“I’ve got a new appreciation for you Violet,” Lydia says. “Is that alright?”  
“It’s fine, I just want to know why,” Violet says. Lydia smiles in the same way Violet remembered her smiling every time she knew she had won, Lydia seemed to win a lot growing up.  
“Because I think you might be very interesting after all,” Lydia says, and she looks to Jade, “and how could I not?”  
“Fair enough,” Violet says, pulling a soda from her bag. “Coke?”  
“No,” Lydia says.  
“Tea?” Jade offers.  
“Also no,” Lydia says and finally, after standing this entire time like she was waiting for something to change, she realizes her situation and takes a seat on the bench next to Allison.

“Thursday?” Stiles asks. “So, you need a lift until then?”  
“You sound happy to be a taxi service Stiles, maybe you should have higher aspirations,” Jade says.  
"No, you see, two pretty girls around me, it counters Scott’s dork aura that I’ve been fighting for years,” Stiles says. “You girls are here one day, and Lydia Martin, Lydia Freaking Martin, had lunch with us. Allison liking Scott was handy, I don’t understand it, but it was useful. But you two, golden ticket.”  
“He means that in the nicest possible way, that doesn’t sound like he is comparing us to confectionary items,” Violet says. Stiles looks a little panicked and goes to find an appropriate apology.  
“She is winding you up Stiles,” Jade reassures him. Scott appears out of the gym door and practically knocks Violet off her heels.  
“What the hell?” Violet asks.  
“Coach wants me to play,” Scott says.  
“In the game?” Stiles asks, excited.  
“No, at chess,” Violet says.  
“Tomorrow,” Scott says ignoring Violet.  
“What’s the problem? That is good news,” Stiles says. Scott stares at him, eyes a little wider, face unimpressed, and something washes over Stiles. “Oh, bad news, bad news.”  
“I thought all you boys wanted to do was play on the field, or whatever you do in lacrosse,” Violet says.  
“Lacrosse, you weren’t kidding?” Jade says.  
“Football is a joke in Beacon Hills,” Violet says, “so they play with netted sticks.”  
“Stiles,” Scott gestures for them to leave.  
“You ditching me big brother?” Violet says.  
“We have things to talk about,” Scott says, grabbing Stiles’ arm.  
“Not at all suspicious, well played golden boy,” Jade says, “come on, last class of the day.”  
“But I want to know,” Violet says as Jade pulls her away.  
“Curiosity killed the cat Violet, do you want to be the cat?”  
“I would have you know, satisfaction brought it back.”  
“Satisfaction is not a real mode of resurrection.”  
“You really think whatever Scotty is hiding could kill me? My brother is an asthmatic, with zero brain cells, what could he have that is that interesting?”  
“Exactly, so why do you care?”  
“I hate when you use logic. It’s unbecoming.”  
“Your brothers a puppy, whatever he is hiding would probably bore you.”  
“You are just saying that so I don’t snoop.”  
“Like I have ever, ever, been able to stop you doing something you wanted to do.”  
“Touché Jade my dear, touché.”


	7. Twilight

“I have nothing to say to that Stilinski, not a damn thing,” Violet says.  
“Jade, come on,” Stiles says, “you are on my side, right?”  
“What makes you think I would be?” Jade asks.  
“You’re not?” Stiles asks. He is genuinely puzzled. “I thought you two would agree with me.”  
“Why?” Jade asks.  
“I just thought if anyone had sense it would be you two, guess I was wrong,” Stiles says.  
“Maybe it is a you problem Stiles,” Violet says.  
“I told you no one agrees with you,” Scott says. Further down the corridor, getting what she needs from her locker, ready to leave for the day, is an old friend of Violet’s, the only friend she would say she had here in Beacon Hills, counting Stiles as a brother. She looks up and sees Violet, she has seen her all day, in glimpses, moving into classes, walking around with Lydia, and she wasn’t sure at first, if it was Violet. But she knows now it is, and she holds her bag close to her side and she tries to find the courage to approach her. It’s been three years and since she heard from her last, Violet sent a letter, an actual, physical letter to her, but she couldn’t bring herself to respond, and that was the last contact she had. She is worried what Violet may think of her now, after all this time, with the pretty girl by her side and a new sense of self, she isn’t sure she fits in Violet’s world anymore. They were both outsiders, and now, Violet may look the part, but she doesn’t seem so alone anymore.  
They walk past and before Erica can change her mind, she reaches out and places a hand on Violet’s arm, Violet doesn’t flinch, she just stops walking, and glances over her shoulder. “Hey, Vee, got that box in your pocket, a girl could use one?” Erica asks. A smile spreads across Violets lips.  
“I do, but I am not giving you one,” Violet says, turning around and throwing her arms around her. This display of affection takes everyone off guard except Jade, who knowing Violet as well as she does, immediately realizes who the person she is hugging is.  
“You must be Erica,” Jade says. “Would you like a brownie?”  
“You’ve had those all day?” Stiles asks. “Why did I get a brownie?”  
“I’m okay,” Erica says, pulling at her sleeves now that Violet has let her out the hug.  
“I’m Jade,” Jade tells her.  
“Pretty name,” Erica says. “I’m Erica.” Erica is trying to not look at Stiles and Violet notices.  
“Meet you boys at the car,” Violet tells them. They both are about to argue but Violet repeats herself and they walk off. She turns back to Erica. “How have you been?”  
“Same old, same old,” Erica says. Jade is eyeing Erica and she starts to feel a little self-conscious, but Jade smiles and gently reaches out but doesn’t touch her.  
“Can I?” Jade asks, gesturing to Erica’s sweater. Erica nods. Jade touches the fabric and smiles. “Not only is that cute as fuck, it’s so soft.”  
“You like my jumper?” Erica asks.  
“I adore it,” Jade says.  
“You are from England,” Erica says, “the accent. Did you go to Violet’s school?”  
“I sure did,” Jade says.  
“Why are you here, both of you, I thought you were staying the hell out of dodge?”  
“I was going to be back soon enough, I just, came back a little early, without my equivalent qualifications so I am stuck on the American system, which now, I can say with confidence, sucks,” Violet says. Erica laughs a little, but her phone starts to ring.  
“My mother, I have to go,” Erica says.  
“See you tomorrow” Jade says.  
“See you tomorrow, I think,” Erica says, “I think we have chem together.”  
“See you in chemistry Erica, if not before,” Violet says and she and Jade wave as she walks away.  
“She is so cute,” Jade says, “can we keep her?” It’s Jades way, she finds people she thinks are worth her time, and she basically adopts them, it is what she did for Violet.  
“Yeah,” Violet says putting an arm around Jade, “I think we can.”

“You sleeping over?” Melissa asks.  
“If that’s okay?” Jade asks.  
“Sure, sweetie, no trouble,” Melissa says.  
“We are going to watch some movies,” Violet tells her. “But I promise I won’t be late for school tomorrow.”  
“I know you won’t, you’ve got Stiles driving,” Melissa says. “You kids hungry”?  
“You just woke up mum, it’s okay,” Violet says.  
“You need dinner,” Melissa says.  
“You need breakfast,” Violet says. Melissa goes to argue but Jade hands her a plate of sliced fruit and a glass of water.  
“Thank you,” she says.  
“No worries,” Jade says taking a seat on the sofa.  
“Did Jade make dinner?” Melissa asks, seeing leftovers in the fridge.  
“Just some stir fry, nothing special, but there is some if you want it after work,” Jade says.  
“Where have you been Jade?” Melissa asks with a smile.  
“England,” Scott says coming down the stairs.  
“I’d tell you it was rhetorical,” Violet says, “but I am not sure you know what rhetorical means.”  
“I know what rhetorical means,” Scott says.  
“Don’t fight you two,” Melissa warns them.  
“This isn’t fighting, this is simple sibling rivalry, I’m the smart kid, he isn’t,” Violet says.  
“Where is the rivalry?” Melissa asks. Scott sighs.  
“I am playing tomorrow night,” Scott says. Once Melissa is done fussing him and telling him she is proud Violet pulls him aside, down into the other room, out of earshot of Jade and their mother.  
“I thought you weren’t, or you didn’t want to,” Violet says.  
“I don’t have much choice, Coach was pretty adamant,” Scott says.  
“Why are you acting weird Scott?” Violet asks.  
“I am not acting weird,” Scott says.  
“You look like a deer in the headlights, what you not telling me?” Violet asks.  
“Beacon Hills, isn’t exactly how you remember it, little sister,” Scott says. “It’s dangerous now.”  
“Oh, it isn’t the town with the most missing people and animal attacks in all of California, where three kids we went to school with got killed by animals in the woods during our childhood? Not that same Beacon Hills?” Violet asks. Scott frowns. “I don’t think Beacon Hills has changed at all. I just think we are more aware of it.”  
“Still,” Scott says, “be careful okay? I know you can be impulsive, and you think you’re indestructible.”  
“I don’t think that,” Violet says.  
“Jade was telling me about the time you climbed on the roof of your school to throw water balloons on the sunbathing girls on a hot day,” Scott says.  
“Snitch,” Violet says.  
“Just, be careful,” Scott says, “her too. You got to look after her, you might think you remember what a mess Beacon Hills was, but you don’t really know.”  
“Scott, we were talking about lacrosse,” Violet says, “you worried you’re going to break something?” Violet starts to look more worried. “Shit, do you need a new inhaler,” she pulls one from her bag, “I carry a spare.”  
“Why do you?” Scott starts.  
“You’re my brother Scott, you might need it,” Violet says. There is she is again, young and soft and his little sister, she doesn’t look like herself, except she does. A smaller version, a version kept only in photos and memories. A version of herself that she keeps tucked in her past but also in her heart.  
“Just, promise me, be careful,” he says.  
“I am not coming to the game,” Violet reminds him.  
“Good,” he says.  
“Don’t say that, it’ll make me turn up,” Violet teases.  
“Erica asked you about a box,” Scott says trying to change the subject, “what did she mean?”  
“Oh,” Violet says, reaching into her bag and pulling out a packet of cigarettes. Scott’s expression shifts to one of concern and Violet is quick to shut him down. “I don’t smoke big brother.”  
“Why do you have those?” he asks.  
“Whenever I think I am going to make a horrible, destructive decision, one that could hurt people I care about, I pull out this box of cigarettes, I have had it since we were little, really little, littler than I would care to admit,” Violet shows him the box clearly, the brand on display. “You recognize them?”  
“They’re dads,” he says. She flips the top so the box opens and in the lid is her handwriting.  
“Read it,” Violet tells him.  
“Don’t be your father,” he reads.  
“That’s why I have them,” Violet says. “I’ve never lit one. I barely even take one out of the pack. Only on really, really, bad days have I actually held one in my fingers. But they’re a good reminder, of everything not to be. You don’t need to worry about me so much Scotty, I know my limits, and I know the line. I can take care of myself.”  
“You make it sound like you’ve had to,” Scott says. Violet looks at him, his eyes searching for an answer he won’t find with her. She knows what he doesn’t know, she knows what she never told him, what no one ever told him. She knows all the things she has kept from him.  
“Some days I have,” Violet admits, letting the mask slip even for just a second, to look at her brother with honest eyes.  
“You don’t have to, you know, be alone all the time,” Scott says.  
“I’ve got Jade, I’m never alone anymore,” Violet says. “She’s with me, whenever I need her, whatever I need.”  
“I wish I had been a better brother,” Scott says. Violet punches him in the arm, hard.  
“Don’t be a dumbass,” Violet says. “You’ve always been a good brother, now go to bed, it’s a school night.”  
“I can hear Jade setting up Twilight,” Scott says.  
“Firstly, the fact you know it’s Twilight, worries me a little bit,” Violet says, “secondly, what you have supernatural hearing now? Fuck off, I don’t need sleep Scotty, you have a game tomorrow.” 

“Charlie has it right,” Jade tells Violet. Violet reaches for another piece of popcorn. “Ask no questions, keep your head down, don’t get killed.”  
“Charlie is the chief of police,” Violet points out.  
“But everyone is toxic, except Charlie,” Jade says, “Charlie deserves the world, and yes, the werewolf was hot or whatever, but the vampire is rich, right choice for Bella. I mean, Alice is the good choice, but apparently, we aren’t allowed nice things. But you have to see the logic.”  
“You are telling me you wouldn’t want to know about vampires?”  
“Why? Why would I? It is dangerous and unnecessary.”

When Melissa goes to leave for work, she spots the girls, who have fallen asleep watching their films and the tv has just turned to static. Melissa walks over and nudges Violet awake. “Go to bed,” she tells her.  
“Fine,” Violet says, latching onto Jade’s sleeve to pull her back from sleep.  
“You can have my bed if you want Jade, I’m heading to work.”  
“That’s okay Mrs. McCall,” Jade yawns. “Violet doesn’t kick me that much.”


	8. Never A Joiner

“Erica, stop,” Violet says, following her gaze to where Stiles sits with Scott, outside on the other side of a glass window. The girls are sat in the cafeteria, Violet and Jade enjoying the packed lunches Jade prepped for them, and Erica attempting to eat the cafeteria food.  
“I was just thinking,” Erica, says biting the end of her pencil from the notes she was copying up.  
“That is the concerning factor,” Violet says.  
“It’s just-,”  
“No, look, Erica, here’s a penny for your thoughts,” Violet says, and pulls a single bill from her purse, “and a dollar to not tell them to me.”  
“Ha, ha,” Erica says pulling a face but still taking the dollar from Violet’s hand and putting it in her pocket. Violet rolls her eyes and looks to Jade, who is trying to organise her notes. She is using coloured sticky tabs to mark the classes from most to least annoying, by both content, teacher and class. Violet can’t help but smile at it, it’s organised, more so than Jade would typically bother to be, but newly aware she could be held back a year if she fails classes, she has a new found desire to not fail. “Are you going to the game tonight?”  
“Not a chance,” Violet says.   
“I’m with the edge lord,” Jade says, adjusting one of Violet’s necklaces that has started to tangle in her netted top.   
“So, neither of you are going?” Erica asks.   
“No,” Violet says. Erica won’t be going, Violet knows that, Erica never takes part in anything out of school time, whether she wants to do so or not, she simply doesn’t.   
“So, I don’t have to feel bad I am not going?” Erica confirms.  
“Sports,” Violet says sticking out her tongue.   
“Violet will not stand by anything that relates to team spirit,” Jade says.   
“Never a joiner, were you?” Erica asks.   
“I thought you liked that about me.”

“You going home?” Scott checks as Violet starts to walk across the carpark.   
“No, I thought I’d stake out at a Seven-Eleven,” Violet says.  
“See you at home?” he says.  
“Enjoy your game, you weirdo,” Violet says.   
“Bye Scott, good luck,” Jade says. Scott smiles.  
“Thanks Jade.” He watches them all go, and he can't help but wonder, is he steering them away from the danger he knows is here, or is he steering them towards it. Is his sister safer as far away from him, or closer so he could protect her? And what about Jade? How was it fair for him to judge what was best for Jade? And how could he know if he was right?

“Did you bring your dungarees?” Violet asks. Jade laughs starting to tidy Violet’s desk.   
“Of course, I did, they’re by the bed,” Jade says, putting all the pens back in the pen organizer.   
“Catch,” Violet says throwing her the dungarees. Jade fumbles but manages to catch the edge of the fabric. “Wow, you caught it.”  
“You doubt my power?” Jade mocks. "Why do I need these?" She turns back to the window and sees someone outside the house.   
"We have a fun evening planned and you want to be out that cute jumper," Violet says.  
“Do you know them?” Jade asks.  
“Know who?” Violet asks, climbing over the bed to get to the window. She looks out the window and sees him, Derek Hale, in the driveway. “No fucking way.”  
“Who is that?” Jade asks.  
“Derek fucking Hale,” Violet pulls the window open. “Derek?” He looks at them both and says nothing. “Hale, what the actual fuck, do you want?”  
He doesn’t respond, he just turns around and leaves. “Not creepy at all,” Jade says.  
“Derek is, an odd one,” Violet says.   
“I can tell,” Jade says.   
“His whole family did burn to death, so he has earned some oddness allowance.”  
“Shit.”  
“Yeah, Derek Hale… is an interesting person.”

Jade and Violet are stood in the driveway, their plans for the evening, start to fix up the van for when Violet passes her test. It is a few days’ worth of work but the girls are hopeful.   
“Fairy lights and blankets sort of cozy vibe,” Jade says.  
“Whatever you want,” Violet says. “But we just have to do the outside first because the paint is stressing me.”  
“Naturally,” Jade agrees.   
“Should I put the kettle on before we start?” Violet asks.  
“I put it on before we came out here,” Jade says.   
“Of course, you did,” Violet laughs and goes to collect tea for them both. When she comes back out with mugs in hand, Jade’s tea in Violet’s childhood mug, covered in cherry blossom petals and ivy patterns, and Violets in a large plain red mug. She hands the tea to Jade, and Jade smiles at her, a thoughtfulness in her eyes.   
“I am not the only one who realizes Lydia is like genius level smart, right?” Jade asks, cutting through the quiet.  
“No, I mean, I notice, but I think she acts extra dumb around boys, especially Jackson, so no one really pays attention to how smart she is, I don’t think I have ever known her to struggle in a class, that brain of her is quite remarkable, did you see her in physics notes, she scares me really,” Violet says.   
“So here is my question,” Jade says.  
“Hit me.”  
“She’s hot and smart,” Jade says.  
“Affirmative.”  
“Why is she dating a guy who looks like a thumb?” Jade asks. Violet cackles.  
“Low self-esteem,” Violet says, “which makes no sense, because she has seen a mirror, she grew up in a house full of them.”  
“Parental issues?” Jade asks.   
“Probably,” Violet admits. “No wonder she is drawn to us, she fits right in.”  
“Don’t,” Jade says laughing it off. She takes another look at the camper. “She is beautiful Vi, I am jealous.”  
“She is ours,” Violet says. “You get full decorating privileges.”  
“I love you, and I adore you, and five me a paint brush because we need to fix this colour, right now.” Violet laughs at Jade’s enthusiasm, but it is exactly what she was hoping for, a nice distraction, from the idea that this is the fifth night in a row she has been at Violet’s house and not gone home, from the reasons that is, a distraction from everything really.   
Violet holds up a big tin of orange paint. “I got mum to pick up the same orange, because the orange was cute,” Violet says. “But I also got blue and green so whenever you want to change things up.”  
“You’re my favourite person Violet,” Jade says taking the orange from her hands.   
“And you are mine,” Violet reminds her. “Just wait until we get to decorate the inside.”  
“There is going to be so many blankets, just you wait.”  
“I don’t doubt it, not at all.”  
“Does the radio work?”  
“CD player does.”  
“Blast it baby.”


	9. A Surprise

“You should have been there, girls,” Melissa says.   
“I hate sports,” Violet says.   
“But you love your brother,” Melissa says, “and he was great.”  
“Good for him,” Violet says.  
“I mean, if I want to do yearbook, I should probably try to get some lacrosse photos, it seems to be important to the school, and it gives me an opportunity to practice,” Jade says. Violet glares at her, shaking her head. Jade knows she is the only person who can talk Violet into going, and she doesn’t want to go.   
“No, it’s fine, Violet doesn’t want to be there,” Scott says. “I don’t want her to be forced to watch me play sports, we aren’t ten anymore.”  
“I never forced your sister to watch you play sports,” Melissa says.  
“I never got an option in the matter,” Violet says.   
“Scott has got a date tomorrow, he is just, raising above his station, aren’t you buddy,” Stiles says, picking up another tortilla from the table. They are sat around the dining table, sharing homemade Mexican that Jade and Violet threw together, mostly Jade while she tried to stop Violet eating the guacamole before dinner. It has been the first time in a while they have had a family dinner at the table, for all of them. Stiles spending a lot of time with Scott, Jade not having family dinners really at all, Violet not being home to have dinners and Melissa always being a work or resting, they rarely have time to sit at a table together, they sometimes manage a takeaway around the tv, but this, this was different. It felt important.   
“A double date,” Violet says, “isn’t that fancy.”  
“I mean, he has to put up with Jackson,” Jade says. Stiles laughs, and they catch each other’s eye.  
“Jackson, Whittemore?” Melissa asks. “Team Captain?”  
“Yeah, that Jackson,” Violet says.  
“Am I,” Melissa pokes her fork at Violet, “sensing anger?”  
“Jackson is…” Violet says, “how the kids say…”  
“A wet sock,” Jade suggests. Violet shakes her head. “Expired coupon?” Violet tilts her hand.   
“Closer,” Violet says.  
“Inconvenient fire drill?” Jade offers.  
“Nope,” Violet says.  
“Arrogant asshole?” Stiles says.  
“Stiles,” Melissa warns.  
“No, no that was on point” Violet agrees. Melissa tries to hide the smile, trying to be an appropriate adult and parent.  
“I am sure he just…” Melissa is searching for something to excuse Jackson but can’t find one. “Anyway…”  
“Changing the subject mum, smooth,” Violet laughs.  
“If you have nothing nice to say,” Melissa reminds her.  
“Set a fire?” Jade and Violet say in sync.   
“That was not the answer they were looking for, was it?” Jade asks, noticing the concern from the other three.  
“Probably not.”

Violet pulls up outside Jade’s house, she is sat on the lawn, it’s sunny outside and Jade is trying to take photos of the sky, the clouds so vibrant and oddly shaped, or at least that is what she will say if asked, Violet knows that she simply doesn’t want to be in the house. Not alone. Not when it is so big, so unnecessarily big, and so very empty.   
“You passed?” Jade asks, as Violet leans out the window of her car, sat in the driver seat, smugly smiling.   
“No, I am just that much of a bad bitch,” Violet says. Jade gets up off the grass and grabs her bag.  
“I am proud of you,” she says, climbing into the passenger seat.   
“Thank you,” Violet says. They look back into the back of the van, it’s still gutted, the wood needs a touch up and it just needs a design redo, but the outside looks pretty now, which is progress.   
“We need to take like three days and fix this,” Jade says.  
“Yeah, but also, counter point, I could drive us to Starbucks right now because no one has to look inside the van?” Violet says.  
“Put your foot on the pedal Vee,” Jade says. “You deserve a coffee.”  
“I do, I do deserve a coffee.”

“Are you sure you know where you are going?” Jade asks, caramel Frappuccino in one hand, map in the other. “We both know you can’t navigate to save your life, we need to get you a satnav or something.”  
“I would still get lost,” Violet says, “besides I have you.”  
“Left, left,” Jade says quickly. Violet does a quick left and starts nervous laughing. “How did you pass? Didn’t they make you navigate?”  
“I know you’re teasing me, but ouch.”  
“I hope you remember, I don’t actually know where we are going,” Jade says.   
“It’s a surprise,” Violet says.  
“A surprise I am navigating to?” Jade asks.  
“Exactly,” Violet says, turning off the main road and heading into a narrow street.   
“Did we step into the eighties?” Jade asks.  
“You will think we did,” Violet says, “if this place is how I remember it being.” Violet leans slightly to the side and Jade takes that as a hint she wants some of her iced macchiato so lifts the cup to Violets face. “Thank you.”  
“No trouble,” Jade says putting the coffee back in the holder. Violet pulls into a spot and starts to get out the car. “Are you going to tell me where we are now?”  
“Just trust me,” Violet says.  
“I do, a worrying amount,” Jade says.  
“This isn’t like the time I got you to break into the abandoned building, I promise,” Violet says.  
“Good, because I am not in the mood to fight a rat today,” Jade says. Violet pulls her into a shop and Jades eyes light up.   
“Welcome Jade, to the thrift store to defeat all thrift stores,” Violet hands Jade a fifty, “that’s for you, but also pick up anything you want for the van.”  
“The fifty isn’t for the van?” Jade asks. Violet smiles.   
“No, not for the van, just for my favourite human.”  
“Are you bribing me for something?” Jade asks.  
“No lacrosse,” Violet says. Jade laughs.  
“For how long?” Jade asks.  
“At least the first month,” Violet says.  
“Easy deal,” Jade says, “let’s get shopping.”

Violet bundles a tonne of blankets, vintage fabric, solar and battery powered fairy lights into the back of the van. Alongside some planters and knickknacks ready to decorate the van into something that Jade and Violet will be proud of. Jade keeps pointing out it is great practice for when she gets her van, she talks about all the places she will travel, all the things she will do with her van living and sweet independence. “Got to marry rich first,” Violet says, “unless you want me to pay for it all?”  
“Not a chance,” Jade says. “Marry rich, get out.”  
“You are pretty enough for it,” Violet says, admiring one of the shirts Jade picked up.   
“I know I am,” Jade looks to see what Violet picked up for herself, some vintage jewellery and a small ceramic white fox, which she is quick to tac to the dashboard. “Cute,” Jade says. Violet smiles.   
“Isn’t it?”


	10. This Place

“I get it,” Stiles says, “the date was weird, I don’t want to hear anymore about Lydia and Jackson.”

“Sorry, I just, I don’t understand girls, or that, or dating, or-,”

“Anything?” Stiles suggests, he looks a little sad, he feels a little sad, but he keeps talking. Like Stiles always does. “Can I ask you something Scott?”

“Yeah, sure,” Scott says, not looking away from the blackboard.

“Is your plan really to not tell Violet a thing?” Stiles asks.

“Why would you ask that, it’s a secret Stiles, secrets we keep to ourselves” Scott says.

“But we know Violet, she is worse than I am,” Stiles says.

“So, you admit you’re nosy,” Scott says.

“I never claimed not to be,” Stiles says, “I like to have answers. But Violet, those detective shows we watched as kids, her obsession with Sherlock Holmes, that serial killer book she made, and I think I saw on her shelf, I think she still has it. If she thinks something is wrong, she won’t let it go. So maybe you would be better off being honest with her?”

“No, if Violet knows she won’t stay out of it, I don’t know what we have to deal with Stiles, but I know we aren’t exactly safe because of my situation, I don’t want to risk putting Violet in danger by telling her.”

“You might be putting her in danger by not telling her.”

“She will put herself into situations if she knows, you know she will. Remember what she did to Jackson when she found out what he said to you?”

“I know, but we were kids-,”

“Exactly, and she was a lot quieter and sweeter back then, how do you think she would be now?”

“She does seem able to pick her fights.”

“Exactly, we don’t tell her Stiles. She doesn’t need to know.”

“No,” Jade says exiting maths class. “Just, no.”

“That wasn’t fun,” Violet admits.

“It is the first lesson of the day and I am already at my emotional capacity for this,” Jade says. Violet doesn’t say anything, she knows where Jade is going with it, and she wants to hear the words from Jade’s mouth, but she is already retrieving her keys from her pocket. “You know what Violet?”

“What Jade?” Violet asks, innocent in tone but a smile of eagerness.

“Mental health day, get your keys,” Jade says. Violet shows her the keychain which holds her keys already in her hand.

“I got you,” Violet says. Jade stairs at the keys, how sad and boring they look.

“And I need to get you a keyring or something,” Jade says taking her hand. “But let’s go.”

“Anywhere in mind?” Violet asks.

“I want to take photos,” Jade says, “take me somewhere pretty.”

“I think I have just the place.”

Violet has wanted to take Jade here since she met her, but she knew the power in this place, how picturesque and perfect it was, and she was saving it, for the right moment, the right day, the right reason. This place was perfect for most things Jade loved, and she wanted to give it to her when she needed it. Today, Jade needed it.

Jade steps out of the van and she reaches for camera without even being aware she is doing it. “Wow,” Jade says. “This place,” Jade says. Violet smiles.

“I know,” Violet says.

“It’s perfect, Violet, it’s beautiful,” Jade says.

“I know,” Violet says.

“How did you find this place?” Jade asks.

“A lonely childhood.”

“Have you texted Erica?” Jade asks. Violet reaches for her phone. “So no, then.”

“I forgot okay,” Violet says, sending Erica a text. She responds immediately.

_No problem, V, I had to go home, see you soon – E_

“She likes Stiles, doesn’t she?” Jade asks.

“It’s hard to tell,” Violet says, “or if she just thinks he is the type of person she should like.”

“Speaking of,” Jade says. “It’s been a whole week without Violet McCall hasn’t mentioned a potential love interest.”

“I can be myself without interest in others,” Violet says.

“I know you can,” Jade says. “So, tell me,” she points the camera at her, “so who have you spotted?”

“I haven’t spotted anyone,” Violet says looking away. Jade pokes her.

“There is,” Jade says, “I know that look.”

“There’s this guy, he sits at the back during English class,” Violet says, looking up at the trees. Jade is still trying to adjust her camera settings. “He’s really quiet, and shy, I think he is on the bench for lacrosse, Stiles might know him, but I don’t know… He just, interests me.”

“Takes a lot to interest Violet McCall, do tell me more,” she says.

“I don’t have much to tell, he doesn’t talk much in class, and I don’t really see him outside, I think his dad works the graveyard,” she says.

“Wait, you mean Isaac?” Jade asks. “Curls, sad eyes, seems to get into a lot of fights.”

“He doesn’t seem like a fighter,” Violet says.

“I’ve seen a lot of bruises for a boy who doesn’t seem like a fighter,” Jade points out.

“Like I said, I think he plays lacrosse, we have seen how messy that gets,” Violet points out. “But yeah, he looks sad, I agree with that.”

“That’s probably why you like him, you do love an injured bird,” Jade says.

“Shove off, no I don’t,” Violet says.

“Chloe Thomas, Eva Wendell, and that boy from the town over, what was he called?”

“Jeremy,” Violet says.

“Yeah, Chloe was put in school so her parents didn’t have to look at her, smoker sad girl, Eva felt she had to live up to a legacy of some dead person she never met, overachiever sad girl, and Jeremy didn’t really have a tragic backstory, but he looked like he was close to creating one,” Jade says.

“You pick on me,” Violet says.

“With love, Violet, with love.”

“Where are Violet and Jade?” Stiles asks Allison. She shrugs.

“I haven’t seen them since first period,” she says.

“I think they left, her van isn’t outside,” Lydia says.

“They just… left?” Stiles asks.

“Mental health day,” Lydia says, “or at least that’s what I think Jade said.”

“And I thought she might help keep Violet in check,” Scott says. “Thanks.”

Stiles and Scott are walking fast down the corridor, unsure of what to do now. “She isn’t here, and she won’t answer her phone to you,” Stiles points out.

“I don’t even know what to say,” Scott says, “Derek Hale knows who you are and that worries me, please don’t go walking in the woods, also, don’t leave the house?”

“Yeah, she already thinks you’re an overbearing big brother,” Stiles says, “good luck with that.”

“Thanks Stiles. Helpful.”

“School should be finished now,” Violet says as she tries not to move so not to ruin the photo Jade is trying desperately to get right. Violets eyes catch the sunlight and they turn to that orange, that vibrant colour even the darkest of brown eyes can look in sunlight, and Violet’s eyes are barely even allowed to be called brown. Black, she would say her eyes to be on the rough days, on the days where she cannot tell iris from pupil, darker in her sadness. Since Jade she has had less bad days, but Jade knows what she is thinking in that moment, and isn’t afraid to ask.

“You okay?”

“I’m good,” Violet says, and it isn’t a lie, it isn’t the whole truth, but she thinks that she means it. She is home, and she is calm, and she is coping and she has Jade. Those are the things that seemed to matter. But being back in Beacon Hills, there was a sense of emptiness, in both her knowledge and her existence. Like she was missing someone, missing something that she didn’t know. She feels strange, it wasn’t like her to want after things she didn’t need. Yet in Beacon Hills, she felt she needed something, to know something, to find something, she just didn’t know what.

“We want to get home before dark,” Jade says.

“It’s barely four pm,” Violet says. But she just smiles and grabs the blanket from the ground. “Okay, let’s go home.”


	11. Jade Pointed Something Out

“Pick up, pick up, I took him somewhere, now what” Stiles mumbles as he reaches answerphone for the twelfth time. Stiles is pacing, Derek Hale leaning against a wall, bullet in him, as Stiles tries to contact Scott, who isn’t picking up his phone. Stiles knows why, he is having dinner with Allison and her family, but he needs him to pick up the phone, he needs him to. And Stiles doesn’t want to go to option B. He glances at Derek, who still terrifies him, even like this.

“I hope you have someone else to call,” Derek mutters.

“I do, maybe.”

Violet and Jade are making use of the big plain wall in the living room of Jade’s house, Violet has brought her projector and they’ve dragged all the blankets and pillows down from the rooms and are crowded around the sofa, ready to watch on their own makeshift cinema screen. Jade is finishing up making snacks when Violet’s phone rings. “Who is it?” Jade asks. Violet reaches for her phone. “I thought your mum knew you were here?”

“She does, but I don’t know who else actually calls me,” Violet mumbles, she turns it over and sees Stiles’ name. “Oh, it’s Stilinski.”

“Stiles, what does he want?” Jade asks.

“Probably bored with Scott having dinner with Allison,” Violet says. Jade looks at her.

“Aren’t you going to answer it?” she asks. Violet doesn’t answer so Jade reaches over her and grabs the phone. “Violet’s phone.”

“Jade?” Stiles asks.

“Correct,” Jade says, “what do you want?”

“Has Violet heard from Scott?” Stiles asks. Jade puts the call on speaker.

“Violet have you heard from Scott?” Jade asks.

“No, not since he told me he isn’t home for dinner, why would I have?” Violet asks.

“I can’t get a hold of him,” Stiles says.

“He is with Allison, you probably don’t want to get a hold of him,” Violet says.

“It’s a study date that turned into a family dinner,” Stiles says.

“Yeah, and he seemed to be taking it seriously, so why are you trying to bug him?” Violet asks.

“I need to talk to him,” Stiles says.

“I’m sure it can wait a few hours,” Violet says. There is an odd background sound that neither Violet or Jade can make out, but it makes them share a look. “Stiles are you alone?”

“Yes,” Stiles says, voice wavering.

“You know you can’t lie to me, right?” Violet says.

“Can you just, if you get a hold of Scott, can you message me, or just get him to call me back?” Stiles asks.

“Are you okay Stiles?” Jade asks, “you sound stressed.”

“I’m fine,” Stiles says and hangs up.

“Co dependency is a bitch,” Violet says, swiping to mute her phone. Jade smiles.

“You realise the hypocrisy in that, right?” Jade asks.

“It’s cute when it’s us.”

Jade starts to pull the DVDs from the box and Violet is biting at her bottom lip. “What are you thinking?” Jade asks.

“I don’t think, it takes up too much energy,” Violet says.

“Liar, you’re doing your thinking face,” Jade says, “is it about Stiles?”

“No,” Violet says, “it’s about Lydia.”

“I don’t blame you, continue,” Jade says.

“Not like that,” Violet says, “I mean a little like that, but you know. I am thinking about what she said to Allison, today.”

“About condoms?” Jade asks.

“After that,” Violet says, “I don’t want to ponder the idea of my brother having sex, thank you very much.”

“Of course not, he is your brother,” Jade says. “So what is bothering you?”

“How no one notices what she says,” Violet says. Jade nods.

“You mean the pheon-a-lime-aid thing,” Jade says.

“Phenylethylamine,” Violet says. “It’s a CNS stimulant.”

“You looked it up, didn’t you?” Jade asks.

“Oh yeah, big word like that, I needed to,” Violet says, “but she just knew it.”

“She’s really fucking smart.”

“It kind of scares me.”

The sound is off but the light of her phone draws away from the film. “Stiles?” Jade asks.

“I think so, can I ignore it?” Violet asks.

“Not on my account,” Jade says moving to pause the film.

“What do you want Stilinski?” Violet asks.

“Mental experiment,” Stiles says. Violet laughs.

“You’re kidding?” Violet asks. “Like when we were kids?”

“You always said you had to be prepared for any situation,” Stiles says.

“I think you said that,” Violet points out.

“Put me on speaker,” Stiles tells her. She does and places the phone down on the crème carpet. “So here is the scenario.”

“What are we doing?” Jade asks.

“Stiles gives us a situation, we have to fix the problem, he times us, see if we would live or die,” Violet says.

“Fun game,” Jade says.

“We were fun kids,” Violet says.

“Someone gets shot with a bullet,” Stiles says.

“Great start,” Violet says.

“Where are they shot?” Jade asks.

“Doesn’t matter,” Stiles says.

“I think it kind of does,” Violet says, “it’ll effect, if the bullet exits, how severe the damange might be-,”

“Okay, the bullet has exited the body, the wound is… say the arm, but it doesn’t matter because the bullet isn’t the problem,” Stiles says, “it’s been dipped in some kind of poison. That’s what is killing the person,” the background noise they heard earlier starts up again, quieter this time, “what do you do?”

“You call for an ambulance,” Jade says. Violet shakes her head.

“These situations are ones you can’t get outside help, you can only use what you have available, and yourself, no cops, no medics, just you and whoever you are with,” Violet explains.

“Whoever is shot is dead,” Jade says, reaching for popcorn.

“Not helpful,” Stiles says.

“You identity the poison,” Violet says.

“How?” Stiles asks.

“Examine the bullet,” Violet says.

“The bullet isn’t in the victim,” Stiles says.

“Find where it went?” Violet asks.

“You’ve changed locations since the victim was shot,” Stiles says.

“Then you have to examine the wound, the colouring, the effects on the person, narrow down a poison type,” Jade says. Violet looks to her, proud. “You’ve made me watch so much NCIS and CSI, I had to pick up something, besides your questionable taste in men.”

“Girls, this is timed, remember?” Stiles says, sounding irritated.

“What are the symptoms?” Violet asks.

“The victim is pale, sweating, the wound has gone a weird blue colour, they are bleeding a lot, but the victim isn’t a heavy bleeder,” Stiles says.

“Blood poisoning?” Violet asks.

“Not helpful, we need a fix, not a diagnosis,” Stiles says.

“You need a sample of whatever poisoned them,” Jade says.

“It’s the only way,” Violet agrees. There is a silence on the other end of the phone. “Stiles?”

“Scott is calling me,” Stiles says and hangs up.

“Well,” Violet sighs, “that was fun.”

“You did that a lot as kids, didn’t you?” Jade asks.

“I had a weird childhood.”

“You’re a weird person, it makes sense.”

“He found the bullet,” Stiles reminds Derek who is going through the draws at the clinic, looking for something, “but maybe, just take some herbal tea and have a rest and it’ll be better by morning, I can imagine that’s what Jade would say.”

“Who the hell is Jade?” Derek asks, pulling a draw from the cabinet and watching it clatter onto the floor.

“Can we not get Scott fired,” Stiles asks.

“If the infection reaches my heart, it’ll kill me,” Derek says. Stiles phone starts to ring and he answers it.

“Scott, I swear-,”

“Not Scott,” Violet says, sounding chipper.

“Violet?” Stiles asks.

“Give the boy a prize,” Violet remarks, “it was bugging us, but there is always another solution, right?”

“What do you mean?” Stiles asks.

“Jade pointed something out,” Violet says, “if you can’t find the poison to make a cure, there is another option.”

“There is?” Stiles asks. Derek has his head in a cupboard, like he has found what he was looking for.

“You said it was in the victims arm right?” Jade confirms.

“Yeah,” Stiles says.

“There is always amputation, if the poison hasn’t spread too far,” Violet says. Derek holds up a medical saw.

“Oh,” Stiles says, “yeah, I guess that… would work.”

“Did we do it?” Jade asks.

“You saved them, congratulations, goodbye,” Stiles hangs up. Stiles looks at Derek. “I am not cutting off your arm.”

_You are used to getting yourself out of awkward situations, aren’t you? – Allison._

_Define awkward – V_

_My aunt and dad just caught me taking a condom from her bag because she thought your brother was stealing, so I had to show them, in front of Scott – Allison._

_Well, for Scott that’s an ego boost, I wouldn’t worry about that, and I have had nuns walk in on me, so I really wouldn’t stress that much – V_

_Is that a joke? – Allison_

_Not even remotely – V_

“Want me to drive you home?” Stiles asks Scott.

“You didn’t see it,” Scott says. “But what they do, what Allison’s family do…”

“You don’t know that, you can’t trust Derek,” Stiles says.

“I don’t know who I can trust,” Scott says.

“You can trust me,” Stiles says. Scott looks at him.

“You’re in danger around me,” Scott says.

“We are all in danger, all the time, so it seems,” Stiles says, “whether we know it or not.”

“Can we not Stiles? Derek has already pointed out the threat to Violet enough for me tonight, I don’t want to think about it much more.”

“It’s not just Violet,” Stiles says.

“No, it’s mum, and Jade, and Lydia, and anyone and everyone who is around me, I don’t need reminding.”

“You aren’t the danger Scott, it’s just Beacon Hills.”

“We should do something to this room, like paint the shit out of it,” Violet says, the only light in the room coming from outside the windows.

“Why?” Jade says, “I don’t really spend much time in it?”

“We do, together,” Violet says.

“And you think when we are watching films or studying or trying to not get you in trouble, I am paying attention to the paintjob, the van is more important, we should focus on that,” Jade says.

“It’s the temporary feeling this room has, it feels more stand-in than the dorms did,” Violet says.

“It’s only what… a few years?” Jade asks. “It is temporary. I’m getting out as soon as I can.”

_You and Jade ok? – Scott._

The notification lights up the phone on the bedside. “Who is it?” Jade asks.

“Just my brother, nothing to worry about.”


	12. No

“Chemistry,” Violet says, “Scott is failing chemistry, and mum is going to kill him.”

“Metaphorically or literally, because she probably could cover it up, your mother has that kind of smarts,” Jade says taking a seat. Coach is standing at the front of the class, looking at the students unimpressed.

“Has anyone seen McCall?” Coach asks.

“Which one?” Danny asks. Coach looks confused.

“There is more than one?” he asks. Violet laughs raising a hand.

“I’m a McCall,” Violet says.

“Like a Scott McCall, McCall?” Coach asks approaching her slowly.

“I am his sister,” she says.

“I swear I have never seen you,” Coach says.

“You haven’t,” Violet admits. “I was in England for three years, you don’t know me Coach, but I know you.”

“That is oddly threatening,” he backs his way the chalk board. “If anyone sees Scott McCall, I need to talk to him.”

“Where is your brother?” Jade asks. Violet shows Jade her phone. “He is bunking off?”

“It’s Allison’s birthday,” Violet says, “his words were, if you can take a mental health day, so can I, cover for me.”

“Allison’s birthday is now?” Jade asks.

“Today, Lydia had her locker filled with balloons,” Violet says.

“How did I miss that?” Jade asks.

“You were picking up notes from maths of Erica,” Violet says. “She’s seventeen today.”

“Moving around is a bitch,” Jade says. Violet smiles sadly, she knows Jade gets it, if anyone gets it, it would be Jade.

“Yeah, Scott thinks he needs to make it up to her, she usually has crappy birthdays,” Violet says.

“I guess being older than everyone else, people are dicks,” Jade says.

“McCall,” Coach says bringing Violet attention back to class.

“Yes?” Violet asks.

“Do you know the answer?” he asks.

“Probability,” Violet says without hesitation. He smiles.

“I know who got the smart genes,” he says, “way to go McCall, that is the correct answer. Never thought I’d say that sentence.”

“Mr. Harris,” Violet says, bracing herself.

“I mean,” Jade tries, “could be worse?”

“How, could Jackson be teaching us?” Violet asks. “Mr. Harris is a bag of dicks.”

“I won’t argue that,” Jade says.

“But you’re good at History,” Violet points out.

“I’m good at specific History,” Jade replies. Stiles is sat a few seats in front of them and he looks fidgety, Violet tries to ignore it, but not Jade. “Stiles?” she asks. “Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” he says, unconvincingly, “I’m fine. Dandy. Fantastic.”

“Want to sound less convincing?” Violet asks. Stiles turns to look at them both.

“See-,”

“Don’t forget class,” Mr. Harris cuts him off. “Today is the parent teacher conference, attendance is mandatory, especially for those getting less than a C in any class, I won’t name names, as the shame should be enough.”

“Where is Scott?” Stiles asks. Jade and Violet share a glance. “He is with Allison, isn’t he?”

“Oh yeah,” Violet says.

“I need to talk to him,” Stiles mumbles. Jackson walks in, slightly late and he looks tired, really tired, Mr. Harris acts all calm and delicate with him and it seems odd.

“Is he alright?” Jade asks, the kindness taking over from the fact it’s Jackson.

“He and Lydia witnessed an attack at the video store last night,” Stiles says. Jade and Violet sit more upright, leaning towards Stiles, Jade worried and Violet interested now.

“Sorry what?” Violet asks.

“I should probably offer him tea,” Jade says.

“He’s a dick,” Violet says.

“And if he crosses a line, I’ll put laxative in it, but he still needs tea,” Jade says.

“Where is Lydia?” Violet asks, “I haven’t actually seen her today.”

“I think she is still at home,” Stiles says. All three of them eye Danny who is trying to do his work. Jade reaches for her flask. “Don’t waste it on Jackson.”

“He is difficult but-,”

“His first reaction when my dad turned up at the scene to check on him because he might have a concussion was to call my dad a minimum wage, rent-a-cop,” Stiles says. Violet balls her hand into a fist.

“Give me the flask,” Violet says, “I’ll pour it on him.”

“No violence in school, you promised,” Jade reminds her. Stiles looks intrigued by the fact Violet had to promise that, but not surprised.

“Danny,” Stiles says leaning forward, “can I ask you something?”

“No,” Danny says.

“Do you know what happened with Jackson and Lydia last night?” Stiles asks.

“No,” Danny says.

“No, you won’t tell me or no you don’t know?” Stiles asks.

“No, I don’t know,” Danny says.

“But Jackson is your best friend,” Stiles states.

“And Scott is yours, do you know where Scott is right now, because he has skipped two lessons?” Danny responds. Jade gets out of her seat to talk to Danny.

“What about Lydia?” Jade asks softer than Stiles, more likeable. “We are her friends and we are just worried about her.”

“You don’t have to worry about Lydia,” Danny says, “her mum made her take the day off. She’s probably sleeping it off. She will be her normal self tomorrow.”

“That sounds like it’s happened before?” Violet asks. Danny shrugs.

“Lydia has gone through a lot, she misses a day and she is right as ever, she’s at home though, she will be all day.”

“I have one more question,” Stiles says, leaning over the table.

“What?” Danny asks.

“Do you find me attractive?” Stiles asks. Violet hits him over the head with her text book, lightly, but Stiles nearly falls out of his seat and Mr. Harris eyes them all.

“Everything okay?” he asks.

“Fine,” they say in unison.

“So you have a free period, really, how is that fair?” Jade asks.

“Timetable conflictions, they’re figuring it out,” Violet says.

“Did you break the system or something?” Jade asks.

“I’m new,” she reminds her.

“So am I, I doubt my parents went through filing my transfer much quicker than you did filing yours,” Jade says. Violet shrugs.

“Enjoy physics,” Violet says. Jade goes to say something witty but she sees someone down the corridor, exiting the gym rooms, Violet looks where she is looking and sees Derek Hale. “What he is going here?”

“He has,” she gestures with her hands, “bad vibes that one.”

“I’m sure he does,” Violet says. Derek looks directly at her and pauses amongst the bustling students before disappearing into a classroom.

“Can I trust you to not get yourself into trouble while I am in class?” Jade asks. Violet laughs.

“Of course,” she says.

“No, I don’t like that,” Jade says grabbing Violet’s face. “Because you have those trouble eyes, last time you did that, I had to bring you lunches to detention for two weeks.”

“I won’t get in trouble,” Violet says, “I promise, but you will if you’re late, especially with tonight.”

“You say that like she might turn up,” Jade jokes before heading off to class. “I’m watching you McCall.”

“Sure, sure.” She waits until Jade is out of sight, and then she starts to walk down the emptying corridor. Violet has always been over eager, too curious, it is why she and Stiles made such a difficult pair as children, always exploring, investigating, eavesdropping. It’s why Scott was so worried about the two of them, so insecure that his best friend and his sister could affect his own relationship with either. It’s why Violet backed off more as they got older, one of the reasons she never called Stiles while she was in England, she didn’t want to step on Scott’s toes. Because Scott never understood like Stiles and Violet understood, she loved him, but she could never be in love with him, she saw Stiles as another brother, and Stiles saw her as a sister he never asked for.

Derek grabs Violet’s arm pulling her into a room and out of her own head. “McCall,” he says.

“Hale,” she spits back a little pissed off at the testosterone display. “You don’t need to grab me.”

“Where is your brother?” he asks.

“Why do you want to know? And why do you know who I am?” Violet asks. Derek looks at her, arms crossed, sour expression. “While I’m annoying you, I’ll keep asking, why were you at my house? Why do you even know my brother? What the actual fuck are you doing in a high school?”

“I was looking for your brother,” he says.

“That answers maybe two of my questions,” Violet says. She can feel Derek’s eyes scanning her, like he is looking for something. “What?”

“You don’t know,” he says.

“I don’t know what?” she asks. He looks annoyed now, like she has wasted his time.

“Anything useful,” he says opening the door.

“Hey,” Violet snaps grabbing Derek’s arm and yanking him back. He stares at her, barely budging. “You don’t get to act like that.”

“Why not?” he asks.

“It’s adding to the bad vibes,” Violet says. Derek just shakes his head.

“Tell your brother I was looking for him, and maybe, tell him he owes you some answers,” Derek says and leaves. Violet, frustrated now, knowing Scott was hiding something, trying her best not to care, but now it’s getting to her. Derek Hale is getting to her. Scott owes her answers, and she feels she isn’t going to get any.


	13. What The Hell Is A Stiles?

Allison swings her arm out to stop Scott hitting the dash and she realizes what she did and starts to laugh, “I’m sorry,” she says through the laughter, “I totally just soccer mum’d you.”

“It’s alright,” Scott says, “I’ll just pick up my masculinity on the way back.” His phone buzzes and he doesn’t check it. “I’m going to turn it off.”

“Who is it?” Allison asks.

“Does it matter?”

“Maybe, what if it’s something important?”

“Ill check it, but then I’m turning it off,” Scott says. He opens the text from Violet and it doesn’t fill him with confidence. A second text beeps in as he is reading.

_Derek is looking for you, just so you know – V._

_Derek Hale. – V._

“Who is it?” Allison asks.

“Violet,” Scott says. He can feel the panic in his chest, but he also knows what Derek wants, and he can’t have it if he endangers Violet, so he knows Violet is safe. He knows that. But he also knows what he will be coming home to.

He turns his phone off. “Nothing important?” Allison asks.

“Nothing that can’t wait,” Scott says, “it’s your birthday.”

Both Stiles, who has straight up left his class to stand with her, and Violet are hovering outside Jade’s class when it ends. She almost jumps at the sight of them. “Can I help you both, stalkers,” Jade says.

“We need to go check on Lydia,” Violet says. Stiles is nodding. Stiles tracked Violet down with the intention of talking her into it, thinking she was a good way to get into Lydia’s house. However, Violet had already become increasingly concerned by Lydia not responding to any texts, and was half committed to driving there herself. They just needed Jade.

“Okay,” Jade says, not needing to know anymore. Lydia is a friend, and if Violet feels they need to check on her, Jade doesn’t need to hear more than that. “I’ll get notes from Erica.”

“Erica already said she would,” Violet says.

“You’re that confident?” Stiles asks as they head for the exit.

“I just know my best friend.”

“I will never get over this house,” Violet says knocking on Lydia’s front door.

“It is a little excessive,” Jade says. When nothing happens Stiles knocks, louder than Violet, more impatient.

“Want to break the door there, buddy?” Violet asks. Stiles pulls a face and Violet rolls her eyes as the door opens.

“Oh,” Lydia’s mum says, looking at the three of them. “This is a pleasant surprise.”

“We are here to check on Lydia, Mrs. Martin,” Jade says.

“Come in, come in,” she says eagerly, “can I get anyone anything to drink?”

“I’m good thank you,” Jade says.

“Margarita,” Violet jokes. She looks like she is considering it for a moment so Violet makes it clear it was a joke.

“Lydia took a little something for the nerves, she is upstairs, I’ll take you,” she says guiding them up the stairs. She opens the door and Lydia who is staring at her book like it is written in a language she cannot read, which for Lydia would be a task, doesn’t look up. “Lydia, darling, the girls and Stiles are here to see you.”

“What the hell is a Stiles?” Lydia asks. Her mother sighs.

“She is a little tired,” she says, “I’ll leave you to it.”

“What are you three doing here?” Lydia asks, trying to sit up on her bed.

“Oh,” Jade says slowly. “I am going to get her a glass of water, a big one.”

“What did they give you Lydia?” Violet asks, sitting next to her on the bed. She smiles at Violet and reaches for one of her layered necklaces.

“Is it a metaphor?” Lydia asks, tugging on the small chain of her necklace. “Like you feel trapped so you wear chains?”

“Jade, maybe I should get the water,” Violet says.

“You scared of what she will say?” Jade asks.

“Terrified, honestly,” Violet admits.

“We were just making sure you are okay, I was- we were worried about you,” Stiles says. Lydia laughs and grabs his arm, dragging him to sit next to her.

“You be quick okay,” Jade tells Violet pushing her out the door. “Lydia, how are you feeling?” Lydia stumbles over her words as she tries to answer her. Stiles picks up the medication from the bedside table.

“Hey Lydia, I bet you can’t say I saw Suzie-,”

“Don’t,” Jade says. “She will just get confused.”

“That’s the point, she’s” Stiles looks back at her, “dazed.”

“Well,” Violet says coming back and handing Lydia the water, “that’s one word for it.”

“Lydia,” Stiles says slowly, “what did you see last night, are you okay?”

“Mountain lion,” Lydia says, like it was rehersed, planted in her head, an automatic response.

“There are mountain lions in Beacon Hills?” Jade asks.

“I told you, we get a lot of animal attacks,” Violet says.

“I thought you meant like dogs, not mountain lions,” Jade says.

“Mountain lions, wolves, coyotes,” Stiles says, “Beacon Hills has them all.”

“And you want to go on midnight walks in the woods?” Jade says to Violet.

“Don’t do that,” Stiles says really quickly. Lydia who is mumbling about the mountain lion, catches Stiles attention again. “Are you sure it was a mountain lion, or is that just what they said it was?”

“What else would it be?” Jade asks.

“So, a dead body in a shop, clawed to death, same creature attacks another customer, leaves them unharmed but a real hard hit to the head, then smashes it’s way out,” Stiles says.

“Not fair scenario Stiles, we have a lead,” Violet says.

“No we don’t, we have assumptions, which is all we ever have,” Stiles says.

“How does a mountain lion get into a shop I suppose,” Violet says. “Are the doors automatic?”

“Maybe not, in front of Lydia,” Jade says. Stiles looks at Lydia who is now looking at her stuffed giraffe on her bedside table.

“Lydia, what is this?” Stiles asks. Lydia manages a half smile.

“Mountain lion,” she says, proud of herself.

“I don’t think she minds,” Stiles says.

“We need to consider what situations would allow for a creature to get in,” Violet says. “Oh, fiction or fact?”

“Fiction, amuse me,” Stiles says. Jade gives them both a look.

“We ran out of good scenarios for a while, so we added an aspect when we were like ten, that meant we could incorporate things like science fiction or supernatural elements into the scenarios, if we had a scientific enough reasoning to back those assumptions,” Violet explains.

“You two were real dorks, weren’t you?” Jade asks. Stiles nods.

“Mountain lion,” Lydia says pointing at Stiles. She then rests her head on his lap and Stiles just stares at Violet and Jade.

“She’s so drunk,” Stiles says.

“Drugged, she’s so drugged,” Violet says gently lifting her off Stiles. Lydia leans into Violet, so Violet just sits on the bed, Lydia leaning on her shoulder, half asleep. “I think she is okay, or as okay as she can be.”

Lydia’s phone beeps and Stiles reaches to put it on charge, but as he picks it up he sees a video, a very short video of the incident last night, a video that proves it wasn’t a mountain lion. While Jade and Violet try to tuck Lydia into bed, he slips the phone into his pocket. He stands up fast and fidgety. “She is all good, everythigns alright, so I guess we are done here,” he talks fast and Violet recognizes his panic voice.

“What?” Violet asks.

“Nothing, I just, I think she could do with a rest,” Stiles says, moving closer and closer to the door. Violet’s stare makes him more and more uneasy and then she sighs.

“I get it,” Violet says, “you and your feelings.”

“My what?” Stiles asks.

“She’s out of it Stiles, she won’t remember you acting like an idiot.”

“Oh,” Stiles says, “yes, I am desperate to leave because of my feelings for Lydia, see you guys later?” He ducks out before they can respond.

“That was weird, even for Stiles.”


	14. I Am Not Like My Brother

“I do not want to be here when she finds out,” Violet says.

“Your mother seems really calm,” Jade says.

“It’s the calm that worries me,” Violet admits.

“You aren’t even in trouble,” Jade says.

“No, but neither was Scott when I came home, you see the issue?” Violet says.

“Silence is being an accomplice,” Jade says.

“Apparently,” Violet says, “which I don’t think is entirely fair.”

“Violet,” Jade says her tone completely changing as her eyes catch what is waiting at the end of corridor.

“Is that your mother?” Violet asks, like it was an illusion, a mirage, a trick of the mind. Her mother pulls out her phone and Jade sighs.

“Yeah, it’s my mother,” she says, and then points to the next opening door, “and yours. Brace yourself Vee, it is going to be a long evening.”

Melissa sees the girls and she smiles. “Scott around?” she asks. Jade and Violet shrug.

“I am not my brothers keeper,” Violet says. Melissa raises an eyebrow, like she knows that is her way of avoiding telling her something, but before she can ask, she is interrupted by Jade’s mother who puts someone else on hold.

“Jade how long will this take?” She asks.

“Not long,” Jade says. Melissa turns to her.

“You’re Jade’s mother,” she says offering a hand. She looks at Melissa.

“Sorry, who are you?” she asks.

“My mother,” Violet says. She looks at Violet.

“Right, right, Lilac,” she says.

“Violet,” Jade corrects her.

“Close enough,” Violet says taking Jade’s hand. “I think you have Ms. Elodie first, she likes to see students without parents,” Violet points to the right room, “I’ll see you for Coach.”

Jade watches them walk, and how Melissa tries to talk to her mother, and Melissa really tries. “So,” Melissa tries again.

“Sorry,” she presses the phone to her shoulder, “is this important? It’s already difficult enough to be here, I am busy.”

“I can see that,” Melissa says, her smile fading.

“Oh no,” Jade says, she can’t hear them, but she doesn’t need to.

“Sorry, who are you again?”

“The woman who owns the house your daughter spends all her time in, her best friend’s mother,” Melissa starts to list.

“I can’t do pleasantries right now…”

“Melissa,” Melissa says.

“Melissa, it is hard enough to make time to be here.”

“It’s hard to make time for anything isn’t it?” Melissa says trying to bite her tongue.

“I’m very busy,” she says, “especially with my husband away, I don’t have much time. Now I need to get this done.”

““I should really go with her,” Jade says. She pulls a notepad from her bag.

“She won’t read them,” Violet says softly, trying to get her to put the notepad away.

“I’m still going to try,” Jade says, giving her hand a squeeze. “See you after?”

“Love you Jade.”

“Love you too.”

Melissa looks around as she sits in front of Coach, who is looking from her to Violet who is refusing to sit down and is hovering by the door. “McCall,” he says snapping his fingers. “Where is Scott, I have a lot to say about Scott.”

“I don’t know,” Melissa admits, “I am sure he is around.”

“Violet, she is an interesting one,” Coach says.

“Thanks Coach,” Violet says.

“She has been nothing but exemplary in my class,” he says. Melissa frowns.

“You don’t do sports,” Melissa says.

“He also teaches economics,” Violet explains.

“Why do you call him Coach?” Melissa asks.

“Everyone does, he is the coach, whether it’s gym or not,” Violet says.

“That’s a point, I haven’t seen you in any of the mixed gym classes,” Coach says. “If you’re like your brother-,”

“I am not like my brother,” Violet says.

“You’ve got a good kid here Mrs. McCall,” Coach says, “now about Scott. He is a good kid, not the smartest, but he is driven but also distracted.” He continues and Violet listens almost as intently as Coach, because all Coach’s eccentricities aside, the sarcasm, the attitude, the seemly genuine dislike of children, he is a great teacher and weirdly accurate in his observations.

Jade keeps her eyes focused on the notepad, this is the third teacher she has asked for written notes from, and the third who has told her that this isn’t the kind of conversation she can just have the notes version of. Jade takes them for her mother anyway, not that she will read them. Her phone rings again and Jade doesn’t even blink. “Can I take this?” her mother asks.

“Just go, I’m taking notes,” Jade says as her mother steps out. Mr. Harris stares at her. “Can we continue?”

“You seem pretty good at taking notes?” Mr. Harris says.

“I am,” Jade says, “so can we-,”

“I don’t see you take many in my class, maybe that’s a result of the distractions?” he asks. Jade sighs and puts the lid on the pen.

“I’m good at your glass, Mr. Harris, I am sure my grades reflect that,” Jade says.

“Some of them,” Mr. Harris says. “You seem to waver in my class.”

“I know what is interesting,” Jade says.

“Oh please, tell me something interesting,” Mr. Harris says. Jade puts her notebook in her bag and leans forward.

“Okay Mr. Harris, how about I tell you the entire history of Medusa, and the real one.”

“The real version of a fictious story?” he asks. Jade just sighs and tells him the story, the version people tell to make her look like a villain, the version where Poseidon isn’t shown in the same light as his brother Zeus, the version that would have you take the side of the gods and the men that went to slay the gorgon. And before he can stop her, she just continues to explain the inaccuracies and the lies and the male agenda behind it. She explains how yes, Medusa was a beautiful human before and yes Athena changed her, but it was not how it is presented to be.

“You see Mr. Harris, a lot of people think Medusa was cursed by Athena of jealousy, but she never cursed Medusa, she blessed her to never be touched by men without permission, she turned her into a safe haven for women-,”

“Jade.”

“Don’t even get me started on the male gods, Zeus-,”

“Jade.”

“We all know Zeus is a bad god, almost all the problems in Greek mythology can be traced to Zeus not being able to keep his dick in his robe, however his brothers, for the most part, we give Hades a pass, aren’t any better-,”

“Jade we are done,” he says, “out of time. Good evening and please see yourself out.”

Jade and Violet pass each other on the way to Mr. Harris and Jade looks almost proud of herself. “Should I be worried?” Violet whispers.

“He isn’t in the best mood, not after that,” Jade admits. Melissa is calling Scott for the sixth time, and Violet is trying not to look guilty about it.

“Where the hell are you, get to school now,” Melissa says down the phone as she takes her seat. Mr. Harris stares at the two of them.

“How about we get started?” he asks. Melissa nods. “Well, lately Scott’s mind has been somewhere else,” Violet is hovering again, Mr. Harris makes her feel a whole load of uncomfortable, and she knows what he will have to say and doesn’t really want to be a part of it. “As, has his body. Personally, I think it may have something to do with his home situation.” Violet snaps her head in his direction as he says that, he doesn’t know what he is opening up to.

“Personally, I am not sure what you mean by home situation,” Melissa says, glancing to Violet. Mr. Harris also looks to Violet and then back to Melissa.

“Well, your other child returning, surprisingly none the less, and with worrying rumour around it, a child who clearly has no desire to fit in-,”

“I resent that statement,” Violet says.

“I think she is fitting in just fine,” Melissa says.

“I haven’t really spent enough time with your daughter to fully assess her character, Mrs. McCall but I do know your son quite well from our classes together and I think he suffers from a lack of an authority figure,” he continues.

“I’m an authority figure,” Melissa says.

“Allow me to clarify, I mean the lack of a male authority figure,” he says. Violet can feel her nails digging into her palms as she starts to get mad.

“Well trust me, we are much better off without him in the picture,” Melissa says getting her bag.

“Does Scott feel that way, he is going through a lot of changes, I think he just needs the extra attention, the guiding hand,” Mr. Harris starts, realizing how he may have offended her.

“My mother does just fine thank you Mr. Harris, Scott and I get exactly what we need, more so than most kids with two parents, I do not appreciate the suggestion that Scott needs a father to be a good student,” Violet says.

“I don’t think your own mistrust and disregard for authority Violet bodes well for your argument,” Mr. Harris says.

“Let’s go,” Melissa says guiding Violet away.

“The fucking audacity,” Violet says.

“Violet,” Melissa says.

“Sorry, I know, language but-,”

“I don’t disagree,” Melissa says putting an arm around her. “But I must say, this doesn’t look good for your brother, and after I kill him, I need to talk to Jade.”

“Why?”

“Because I need her to know, she is welcome over any time.”

Jade is leaning on a bannister when Violet and Melissa step outside, her mother has gone to take a call and she was waiting for Violet, but the way she is holding her phone, Violet realizes there is something else. Allison’s parents, who Violet and Jade just about recognize seem angry and they both know why. “I want to duck for this,” Violet says.

“Don’t” Jade advises, “you just look more guilty.”

“Did anyone tell your mum about your absence?” Violet whispers. Jade shakes her head. “Me neither, I guess Scott and Allison chose a real bad day to bunk off…”

“Excuse me, are you Allison’s parents,” Melissa says.

“Uh oh,” Violet says. “This isn’t going to go well.”

“I’m Scott’s mum and he isn’t answering his phone either,” she continues.

“You’re his mother?” Allison’s father asks. Melissa already having hit her threshold with both Jade’s mother and Mr. Harris is quick to drop the niceties.

“It’s funny because you’re saying that like an accusation,” Melissa says.

“I wouldn’t claim it as a source of pride,” he continues.

“There,” Violet says loudly, pointing at the car turning into the parking lot. “They’re there.”

“And you are?” Allison’s mother asks.

“Violet McCall,” Violet says, wincing a little.

“Do you know where they’ve been?” her father asks as they start to approach the parked car. Violet shakes her head, she doesn’t know where they’ve been so it isn’t a lie.

Jade and Violet watch at a distance as all three adults start giving Allison and Scott hell, Stiles joins the girls and watches the chaos. “That is not fun,” Stiles says.

“I am just waiting to see if I am also, very, truly, screwed,” Violet says.

“You think Scott will throw you under the bus because he got caught?” Jade asks, “I don’t think he is like that.”

“He isn’t, usually,” Violet says. “But big brothers will big brother, I guess.” Melissa looks back at Violet and Jade and they can’t tell if she is mad at them or just mad. There is a scream from the side and it distracts everyone.

“What was that?” Jade asks.

“Beacon Hills after dark?” Stiles jokes. Violet glares at him as people start to hurry to their cars. “Too soon, I see that now.”

“Just a bad joke Stilinski, bad joke,” Violet says, leading Jade down the ramp and to the van.

“You just hiding?” Stiles asks, “where is that McCall spirit?”

“Jade,” Violet says unlocking the door and letting her in. Before they can really understand what is going on, Violet sees Scott weaving through the people like he has a purpose. “Don’t be an idiot big brother,” she whispers.

In short succession, Sheriff Stilinski gets knocked to the ground and Violet has to grab Stiles to stop him running into the hoard of people trying to get out the carpark. “We don’t know what is happening,” Stiles points out.

“Exactly,” Violet says, “stay put-,” the gunshot makes her jump, shortening her sentence.

“That the fuck was that?” Jade asks. Violet, letting go of Stiles, climbs on the side of the van and onto the roof where she can see more clearly, she can see Allison, looking angry at her father, she can see a worried Scott, she can see the mess and the people and the dead mountain lion.

“Looks like Mr. Argent carries a firearm at all times,” Violet says, climbing down. “It’s dead.”

“What is?” Jade asks. Violet tries for a smile.

“A mountain lion.”

“You’re kidding me.”

“No, having a good time in Beacon Hills Jade, it only gets weirder…”


	15. Monster Hunters

“Grounded, that sucks,” Jade says. “Am I the only person who isn’t going to get grounded?”

“I do wonder what you would have to do to get grounded,” Violet points out.

“I could try burning the house down?” Jade says.

“You could, you could,” Violet says, “or we could just be glad we aren’t grounded like Allison or weirdly sneaking out like Scott.”

“You’ve very suspicious of your brother,” Jade says, emptying her bag onto the table, she has collected groceries from her house fridge and is preparing dinner.

“Only because he gives me reason to be,” Violet says, “he has been strange since I got back.”

“Have you considered the idea that maybe, he is just older, and not the reflection of the brother you remember?”

“You make it sound like I hadn’t seen him in three years,” Violet says.

“You barely have, and you know yourself how easy it is to pretend for a week and go back to yourself than to be honest about who you are, not that I understand it now meeting your family,” Jade says, “they seem fine with you.”

“Every day,” Violet says, “Scott tries me when it comes to my outfits.”

“That is just because you’re his baby sister,” Jade says, “and you look hot and it’s unsettling.”

“Shush,” Violet says. She hears bumping upstairs.

“Don’t,” Jade says.

“He thinks he is being subtle,” Violet says.

“Your mother isn’t catching him,” Jade says.

“But I am,” Violet says bolting for the stairs.

“Don’t be long, I need your help with the potatoes,” Jade calls after her.

Scott tries to look subtle as he stands in the middle of his room, window wide open and phone shattered in his hands. “You are kidding me,” Violet says.

“Help,” Scott says. Violet looks at him.

“That’s barely fixable,” Violet says.

“But it is?” Scott says. Violet ponders for a moment.

“Take it to the shop, and maybe a week till it is fixed,” Violet says. He looks bothered. “No contact with Allison outside of school without a phone.”

“I know that,” he says.

“So,” Violet says, pulling out her wallet. “I can get you a new one tomorrow.” His eyes light up, that puppy dog expression everyone is so fond of. “On one condition.”

“What?” he asks.

“You tell me what is going on with Derek Hale, why he is coming to our house, to school, searching for you? What he thinks I should know? What don’t I know?” Violet asks. Scott looks away.

“Violet I can’t,” he says. Violet nods, but her eyes show her hurt even if the rest of her face won’t.

“Okay,” Violet says, “then I’ll take your phone to the shop tomorrow.”

“Violet wait,” he tries as she leaves. “You don’t get it. I am protecting you…”

Violet turns into the kitchen so sharply it makes Jade jump a little. “Give me something to chop, ideally with a big knife,” Violet says.

“Something cylindrical?” Jade asks. Violet nods and Jade hands her a bag of carrots.

“Perfect,” Violet says slamming the knife down onto the cutting board.

“You are scary,” Jade says so joyfully and with a smile.

“Good.”

Scott spending the day trying to avoid Allison like Derek has told him to, and trying to figure out what to say to Stiles, to make him forgive him, to make him talk. His actions got Stiles’ dad hurt during the mountain lion incident. Stiles is not talking as a result. An understandable reaction on all accounts but Scott needs his help. “I understand that you’re not talking to me,” Scott says. “But if you were, I would tell you I was seeking help from Derek Hale.”

“And if I were talking to you,” Stiles says, “which I am not, and neither is your sister, may I add, she is barely talking to me, she thinks I am aiding you in keeping secrets.”

“You are,” Scott says.

“If I were talking to you, I would tell you Derek Hale is bad idea, and what he said to Violet should be proof enough of that.”

“And if you were talking to me, I would point out I don’t have anyone else who can teach me what I need to know, control,” Scott says. “As for Violet, remember what you are protecting her from.”

“Derek Hale? Who you had in your home?” Stiles says. “So protective of you.”

  
Allison is talking about a massacre, Lydia, Jade and Violet sat with her in the library. She is looking into her family history and although Lydia seems increasingly disinterested in a story of mass killings and monstrous wolves, Violet’s eyes are practically glowing. “How is this to do with your family history?” Jade asks, taking out some cookies from her bag. “Cookie?”

“No thank you,” Allison says but Violet grabs one from Jade’s hand without hesitation.

“Tell us,” Violet says.

“The man who killed the beast,” Allison says turning the book, “Argent.”

“Monster hunters, how exciting,” Violet says.

“They killed a big wolf,” Lydia says.

“Must you remove the romance,” Violet says.

“Romance isn’t the word I would use,” Jade says. Violet smiles taking a bite from the cookie.

“Then you have no imagination,” Violet says. Stiles gets up making a commotion and Allison spots Scott and goes to speak to him but he is quick to leave, eager. Allison comes back to the table, looking sadder, and Jade and Violet are confused.

"Is your brother avoiding me?” Allison asks.

“No, I am sure Scott isn’t,” Jade says, but Allison is looking at Violet.

“He better not be,” Violet says. “Because I’ll kick his ass.”

Violet spends the next thirty minutes tracking her brother down, Jade at her side. Danny walks to the gym changing room and Violet reaches for him. “My brother in there?” she asks. Danny nods.

“He should be,” Danny says.

“Good,” Violet says pushing open the door.

"This whole, women make you weak, is a little too spartan warrior for me," the girls overhear Stiles say.

"I agree" Violet chips in making Stiles jump.

"Couldn't have said it better myself" Jade adds.

"What are you doing in the boys changing room?" Scott asks, disappointed by not surprised.

"Finding your dumb ass" Violet says, “clearly.”

“What do you want, you’ve made yourself clear,” Scott says, “you are mad at me, for some reason.”

“Oh, I am mad at you plenty, but this is a new anger,” Violet says. “One I actually have proof off, and am not alone in.”

“What the hell McCall, you’re better than this,” Jade says.

“Better than what?” Scott asks, confused at what he could have done that would make Jade mad at him. The idea deeply concerning him.

“Allison,” Violet says. “You’re avoiding her.”

“I am not,” Scott says.

“You are,” Jade says.

“I, why does my relationship with Allison effect you?” he asks. Stiles winces. Scott sees the mistake the minute the words leave his mouth. Staying away from Allison is hard enough, without Violet making it worse, especially when she is mad at him, he is frustrated and sad and a little anger and it’s starting to amplify, he can feel it, under the skin, burning.

“Not the right approach Scott,” he says.

“What is it about Violet that makes you so dumb?” Jade asks.

“I’m sorry Violet, you know I didn’t-,”

“Allison is my friend,” Violet says. “And she makes you happy, don’t be…”

“Don’t be what?” Scott asks.

“An idiot,” Violet says, and shoves him. “Don’t ignore her.”  
  



	16. Broken toys

“So,” Violet says, “Jackson, why are you gracing us, with your presence?” Jackson sits opposite her as she tries to hide how viciously she is cutting into the apple in her hand.

“Why do you carry a knife?” Jackson asks.

“I have an apple,” Violet says, “it’s a requirement.”

“I don’t think it is,” Jackson says. Violet eyes the knife and then Jackson’s chest.

“Do you know what else isn’t a requirement,” Violet starts.

“Anyway,” Allison says, desperately trying to avoid the fighting, but also taking note of the fact the knife couldn’t do much harm to Jackson, even with Violet being the one using it. Violet torn between her anger at Jackson’s mere existence, her anger at Scott for being nowhere to be found, ignoring Allison and forcing her into a situation that means she has to be in Jackson’s presence and her genuine frustration at feeling like she is being lied to. She tries to ignore the lunch time conversation. But Jade places a hand on her arm and she looks at her.

“I think I found your interest, six o’clock,” Jade whispers. Violet looks up and sees him, sitting beside the tree, alone and with a very dark black eye. She smiles a little, but the concern is there, is real.

“Jackson how violent is lacrosse?” Violet asks. Jackson laughs.

“Why do you care about lacrosse, besides you observed it as a kid,” Jackson says.

“It wasn’t so violent as a child,” Violet says. “My brother plays, and currently I might even take satisfaction in the knowledge of the violence.”

“Violet,” Jade warns her.

“You don’t need to be mad at Scott on my account, I am sure he has a reason for not being here,” Allison says.

“It isn’t just on your account,” Jade says, “she has been mad at Scott for days.”

“I am just confused, I can’t see him outside of school because of my parents and the whole very grounded thing,” Allison says. “So why doesn’t he want to see me?”

“He does,” Jade says, she isn’t lying to her, she knows he does, she doesn’t know why he is being weird about it. His anger early, especially with Violet isn’t the Scott Jade has come to know recently, and it is concerning.

“Switch lab partners,” Violet suggests, “to Scott, gives you a reason to have him over to study, you aren’t grounded from school work.” Allison smiles, dimples on display.

“That’s actually pretty smart,” Lydia says.

“Thanks,” Violet says before turning back to Jackson. “Lacrosse.”

“Why, on behalf of your anger at your roommate?” he asks.

“My brother,” Violet says.

“He isn’t though, is he?” Jackson asks.

“Jackson, do you like making an enemy out of me?” Violet asks.

“Do you like pretending to be a happy little family?” Jackson asks.

“Unlike some I don’t have to pretend,” Violet says. Jackson’s smile drops fast.

“You know Violet, I think sometimes you need to remember, you only get the McCall name because they had already told the poor sixteen year old that was unfortunate enough to carry you, that her baby would have somewhere to go when it was born, when they found out your ‘mother’ was actually pregnant after all this time thinking she couldn’t be, and Melissa McCall can’t go back on a promise,” Jackson says.

“Jackson, take a walk,” Lydia tells him.

“It’s fine,” Violet says.

“No, it’s not fine,” Jade says, “not fucking fine at all, he doesn’t get to talk to you like that.”

“How well do you know her Jade?” Jackson asks.

“It’s impossible to underestimate your self-hatred, Jackson,” Jade says, “and it is beyond out of line for you to suggest that I do not know my own feelings and relationships.”

“They are not the perfect family they act to be,” Jackson says.

“Is your ass jealous of the amount of shit that comes out of your mouth?” Jade snaps. Allison lets out a small laugh, maybe out of nervousness, but mostly out of surprise as Jade’s bold approach.

“You don’t get to offend my friends,” Lydia says slowly.

“It’s true though,” Violet says, unphased. “Melissa told my mother that she would take me in, my mother was a few months pregnant, scared, young, not sixteen, but young enough that she shouldn’t be having me, but she knew someone would want me. So, Melissa, who thought she couldn’t have kids, told her she would have me, she found out later she had been pregnant with Scott for quite a while but because the other doctors said she couldn’t have kids, she hadn’t noticed the symptoms, chalked it up to the not being able to have kids’ reasons, but then she had Scott, and she still chose to have me too, because shocker, I was wanted. Sucks to not feel wanted, doesn’t it Jackson?”

“I am perfectly wanted,” Jackson says.

“Tell it to someone who cares,” Violet says.

“Walk, now,” Lydia tells him. Jackson gets up but he needs to have the last word.

“I’d keep your eyes off that one Violet,” Jackson says, slightly gesturing in Isaac’s direction. “I know you like broken toys, but that one, you can’t fix that one.”

“Jackson, you probably have less than thirty seconds,” Jade says. Jackson leaves and the girls all look at Violet.

“I took it too far, I know,” Violet says. Lydia is continuing to not say anything, she doesn’t want to speak against Jackson, even if she thinks he was beyond out of line. But Allison isn’t afraid to say she doesn’t agree with Jackson and Jade has never been afraid to.

“Is that really what happened?” Allison asks after a while. Violet watching Isaac across the lawn.

“My mum?” Violet asks. She shrugs. “Kind of, I think, Melissa says she only met my mother once, she turned up at the hospital terrified and young and pregnant, barely though, barely pregnant at all, but she was so scared. Melissa thinks she was unwell, because when asked about the father she says she didn’t know, and Melissa signed the papers there and then, didn’t even tell… and then she found out she was pregnant with Scott, but she still wanted me. I was born a few months after Scott and she came to collect me, but my mother was gone, no one knows where she went, she had me and while the nurses were making sure I was okay, she just left.”

“Shit,” Lydia says. Violet shrugs.

“Doesn’t bother me, common knowledge in Beacon Hills, who has secrets in Beacon Hills?”

“That is a valid point,” Lydia says.

“On a lighter topic, you just going to make eyes or you going to say something?” Jade asks. Violet shakes her head.

“There a boy?” Allison asks.

“A girl?” Lydia asks.

“No,” Violet says.

“Yes,” Jade corrects her.

“I am not looking for a relationship right now,” Violet says. Jade laughs.

“You never are, so what?” Jade asks, “you didn’t let Jackson get to you?”

“No, I let you get to me, I made a mess back at school, you know I did, and a small town is almost worse than boarding school,” Violet says.

“You can’t mean that,” Jade says.

“Lydia, how is it seeing your exes?” Violet asks.

“They moved,” Lydia says.

“All three of them?” Violet asks. Lydia nods.

“Shit, you aren’t kidding?” Jade says.

“I can’t risk making a fool out of myself in Beacon Hills, I keep my distance unless I am sure,” Violet says.

“Unless it’s a club,” Lydia says. Violet smiles.

“You couldn’t pay me to stay out of the clubs,” Violet agrees.

“Beacon Hills has clubs?” Allison and Jade both asks.

“Oh,” Lydia says hand over heart.

“They’re cute,” Violet agrees.

“You didn’t mention that,” Jade says.

“I wasn’t going at thirteen, however, sixteen, good time,” Violet says. “I’ll take you soon.”

“Danny knows a few great underground gay clubs,” Lydia says.

“Why do you know that?” Jade asks. Lydia smiles, a little laugh and looks for her lip gloss.

“Danny is Jackson’s best friend, just because Jackson can be a total ass, doesn’t mean we all are.”

Violet meets Isaac’s glance for just a moment as he moves to head for class and he looks away, not aware she was even really looking at him. Violet sighs, he seems sweet and she knows she would probably tear him apart, so she is trying her best to not notice him. But it is hard to not notice him, especially for Violet, especially the more she learns about him.

Economics quickly becoming Violet’s favourite class, Coach her favourite teacher, only being downed by Scott in her eyeline. She leans onto Jade, seeking relief as she watches painfully Allison try to communicate with Scott, sitting behind him.

Coach looks at the two girls, and deciding to not comment looks to Scott. “Can you talk us through the reading for last night McCall,” he says, then his eye dart back to Jade and Violet, “male, McCall.”

“What?” Scott asks.

“The reading,” Coach says.

“I didn’t actually,” Scott starts.

“Don’t look so smug,” Jade whispers as Violet smiles at Scott’s discomfort.

“Can’t I take a little pleasure in his displeasure, he is bugging me,” Violet says.

“Less than you are, but a little I guess, I don’t control you,” Jade says. Violet chuckles.

“Are you familiar with the term sarcasm McCall?” Coach asks.

“Very,” Scott says, Stiles looks to Jade and Violet and smiles like it is his own personal pride. While Violet is focused on Scott being berated by Coach, Jade is noticing other aspects, mostly, Allison reaching and taking his hand, calming him. Jade smiles at the sweetness of it all, of the care, of the way they find calm in each other, the love in it.

“Maybe your sister,” Coach says turning to Violet who is still leaning on Jade.

“Oh, sure,” Violet says sitting up straight, “I did the reading Coach.”

“Of course you did,” Coach says tapping her on the shoulder, “because for some reason, you actually make an effort.”

“I have admiration for my teacher,” Violet says.

“Suck up,” Scott mouths.

“I’m passing, unlike you,” Violet mouths back.

“Now,” Coach says, “tomorrows reading, if we can all manage that…”

Jade is slower to pack up her things, and Coach is telling Violet for possibly the third time that if Scott took half the initiative she does, he would be doing very well. “She brings you back,” Stiles says, Jade doesn’t understand the context but she is listening, she doesn’t mean to be, but just the words Stiles say, catch her attention. She figures they are talking about Allison.

“I'm totally in love with her" Scott says. Jade smiles at how sweet that is, so honest, so… delightfully different. Scott McCall is not like most the idiots Violet and herself have had to put up with, he is honest and kind and… she turns away from looking at Scott, who is smiling a brightly.  
“That's beautiful and before you go off and write a sonnet can we figure this out please,” Stiles asks.

“You tell him,” Violet says, passing them both by, “I don’t have a clue what you’re talking about, but you tell him Stiles, knock him back into place for me, won’t you?”

“I’ll do my best,” Stiles says as Jade passes him to catch up with Violet.

“You always do Stilinski, when it matters.”


	17. Secrets

“He got detention,” Jade says checking her phone.

“He doesn’t have a phone how is he texting you?” Violet asks. “Why is he texting you?”

“Stiles is texting me” Jade says.

“Oh,” Violet says nodding, turning over the page of her magazine. “That makes sense, why?”

“I am not mad at your brother, he has a study date with Allison, he is smitten, he is funny, he is nice, he isn’t a dick,” Jade says. “You are mad at him. I will not simply partake in that anger for angers sake, if you can tell me what makes you so mad.”

“I don’t have anything you consider rational reasoning,” Violet says.

“Exactly,” Jade says, “now, are there specific rules for the scenario game because I’ve got one for Stiles?”

“No real rules, just don’t ask if you don’t know the answer, else you can’t respond to all and any questions,” Violet says. Violet looks at her phone as it starts to ring, an unknown caller. She is reluctant but picks it up. “Hello?”

“McCall?” Jackson asks.

“Well, what the fuck do you want?” Violet asks. Jade looks puzzled, so Violet mouths the word ‘Jackson’ and she expression changes to annoyance.

“Hang up,” she tells her, returning to her text.

“Lydia thinks I should apologise and Lydia gets what Lydia wants,” Jackson sighs.

“Okay,” Violet says.

“Good,” Jackson says.

“Good what?” Violet asks.

“I apologised,” he says, “so we are good?” Violet can hear what is likely Lydia making a fuss in the background.

“No,” Violet says, “you didn’t apologise you said Lydia said you should, not an apology.”

“I’m sorry,” he says.

“Because Lydia told you to be,” Violet says, “I don’t care your apology is insincere Jackson because even if it was sincere, I don’t accept, fuck off.” She hangs up.

“He is lucky I didn’t hurt him today,” Jade says.

“You wouldn’t intentionally,” Violet says.

“I might,” Jade says.

“You’d feel bad.”

“For Lydia, not for Jackson.”

“Speaking of Lydia,” Violet says answering the phone. “Hi.”

“He is trying,” Lydia says.

“Lydia, you’re trying, because your boyfriend is dick,” Violet says, “and I think you’re fucking fantastic, you’re smart as hell and you are hot and you know what you want but Lydia, you can’t just hide from the consequences of Jackson. You can’t make him sorry when he isn’t.”

“I can make him sorry,” Lydia says.

“But you can’t make him mean it.”

“What are you doing?” Jade asks handing her a cup of tea. Violet sips it, looks at Jade and then back at the cup. “Were you expecting coffee?”

“I did ask for coffee,” Violet says.

“Did you?” Jade asks, going to take the cup away. Violet clutches the cup close to her chest like a child.

“No, I drink the milky sugary tea goodness, I was just not expecting it,” Violet says. “Which is my fault, it’s you.”

“I don’t tend to get you things you don’t ask for,” Jade says.

“Advice,” Violet says, “psychological insight, the entire logistics of the ancient Egyptians being furries.”

“Okay, sometimes I give you things you don’t ask for,” Jade says. “But what are you doing?”

“Reading,” Violet says.

“Violet McCall, doing homework? Unprompted?” Jade asks.

“It’s economics,” Violet says. Jade laughs.

“You make such an effort in economics of all things,” Jade says, “English I get the good grades, it’s bullshit, but I get it. But economics?”

“I like Coach, he is the right amount of sarcastic and afraid of me,” Violet says. Jade laughs.

“He does seem a little afraid of you,” she admits. Jade’s phone buzzes.

“Oh shit,” Jade says.

“What?” Violet asks.

“Your brother,” Jade says.

“What about him?” Violet asks.

“He has shown Allison up,” Jade says reading the text. “She wants to know where he might be.”

“Fuck if I know…” Violet says. “But when he comes home, I might kill him.” Jade looks confused and sad and Violet wants to comfort her. “Look, I know you want to think he has a good reason, any reason at all, sometimes, people, even ones we like, can just be idiots.”

“No, I heard Scott today, he really likes Allison,” Jade says.

“I can imagine there are plenty of things he really likes,” Violet says.

“Too much,” Jade says, “maybe don’t.”

“Sorry,” Violet says, “I am just saying, boys are fucking aliens.”

“As much as there is evidence to support that,” Jade agrees. “I think something might be up with your brother, something he doesn’t want Allison effected by.”

“Yeah, whatever he is lying to me about,” Violet says.

“Remember Violet, he doesn’t owe you the truth always.”

“He fucking does.”

“Even when you keep secrets from him?”

“No fair.”

“I'm right though, just, be mad at him, but also, don’t cut him off, you’re doing that thing you do, when you shut down because someone has pissed you off, don’t do that, not to Scott. He might actually need you.”

“He has never needed me a day in his life.”

“I don’t think that’s true,” Jade pulls the book from Violet’s hands, “enough of this, let’s do something fun.”

“Like what?” Violet asks. Jade ponders for a moment.

“S’mores and nineties romcoms?” Jade asks. Violet smiles.

“Fine.”

  
Violet wakes up when Scott gets in, maybe the cop car in the driveway does it, maybe it’s just a bad feeling, but she wakes up tucked in her own bed and alone. “Jade, where are you?” she mumbles as she tries to get up.

Scott, dropped off by Sheriff Stilinski, walks as quietly as he can into the house. He knows Melissa won’t be back for a few hours and then in the morning, when school is cancelled and the news of suspected murderer Derek Hale breaking into Beacon Hills High the talk of everyone, he will explain then. But right now, with Allison and everything, he wants to just go to bed. But when he gets in the door he sees Jade, asleep on the sofa. Everything went wrong for him tonight, he messed up with school, he messed up with Derek and the alpha situation, he put Stiles in danger, and then Jackson, Lydia and Allison in danger. And then Allison broke up with him. He screwed up a lot tonight, but he knows he can make sure he doesn’t screw up on one thing.

He tucks Jade into his bed, making sure she is comfortable and undisturbed and he goes to sit in his arm chair when he sees Violet in the doorway. “Want to explain?” she asks. Scott gets up and shuts the door behind him so they can talk in the corridor without waking Jade.

“I have a really bad night,” Scott says, “so please don’t lecture me right now Violet.”

“Why were you in a cop car?” Violet asks.

“The school, Derek Hale, some really risky shit, can I go to sleep?”

“No, I want answers Scott,” Violet says, “ideally honest ones.”

“Maybe some boundaries wouldn’t hurt Violet, you have always been a part of every part of my life,” he says, “people are allowed to have secrets. Even you have secrets.”

“I am an open book,” Violet says.

“Why do you have one blocked number on your phone?”

“Why have you been on my phone?” Violet asks.

“I haven’t, it called,” Scott says. “Who is it?”

“I don’t think you need to ask that,” Violet says. He scoffs.

“And you’re mad at me for having secrets,” he says.

“It’s not a secret, you’re just dumb,” Violet says.

“Look, Allison broke up with me, less than two hours ago, can I please, just get some sleep before mum gets home and I have to deal with all that?”

“If you were in danger, she will go easy on you,” Violet says.

“Can you go easy on me?”

“Because your heart hurts? Yeah. But don’t think I give you sympathy, whatever reason Allison gave, I am sure it was justified, I don’t know what is going on with you, because you won’t tell me, and if you won’t tell me, I can’t understand, and if I can’t understand, I can’t help. Girl trouble, Derek Hale trouble, all of it, I am your sister, and I have always, fucking always, been on your side when it mattered Scott. But you didn’t keep secrets from me.”

“We were kids, I didn’t have real secrets to keep.”

“So, you admit it, you are keeping something from me?”

“Only because you don’t want to know.”

“Fuck you,” Violet says, “for thinking you have any idea, you could even conceive an idea to know, what I would choose to know.”

“Violet, I am protecting you.”

“Are you?” Violet asks. “Or are you protecting yourself?”


	18. Drunk

“Two days and we are allowed back at school, I feel like that’s truly American of them, a murderer in the halls, two days that’s enough for the students to deal with it,” Jade says.

“Welcome to Beacon Hills,” Violet says pulling the ice cream from the freezer.

“When you told me that your home was some Derry Maine, Sunnydale like, illusion of suburban life I thought, maybe you were exaggerating,” Jade says. Violet laughs.

“I am known to exaggerate,” Violet admits.

“But you meant it, your mother was locked in the school with a murderer, this place is… dangerous,” Jade says.

“They’re fine,” Violet says, realizing where this conversation is going.

“They went out a while ago, what if Melissa gets off early?” Jade asks.

“It’s Beacon Hills, no one gets out of the hospital early,” Violet says. Jade points a spoon at her.

“You realise that doesn’t decrease my worry, right,” Jade says.

“Scott is a big boy, he feels comfortable going out, I have to let him, doesn’t matter that he is grounded, because I’m not mum, and if I want him to respect my space and my choices, I have to respect his,” Violet says.

“Trying to be mature now, or are you just turning your anger at him into hoping he gets into trouble?”

“I want no harm to come to him,” Violet says, “maybe a little karma but you know, the world works in mysterious ways.”

“You work in mysterious ways,” Jade says taking the ice cream from her hand. “I can say much for the world.”

The door opens and Violet rolls her eyes. “Look, he is home,” Violet says throwing her spoon into the sink, it rattles off the side and even from her place in the kitchen she can see Scott flinch at the sound.

“This isn’t my house,” Stiles says.

“No Stiles, I am not taking you back to yours like this,” Scott says, helping him through the door.

“Is he drunk?” Violet asks. Stiles looks at the two of them.

“Cool, I mean, you, you” Stiles points at Violet before looking back to Scott, “but not in a weird way. Jade you’re cool, kind of in a… not a weird way, you’re just great.”

“Oh he is drunk,” Violet says getting up.

“I need to stop talking,” Stiles says.

“Let me get you a glass of water,” Jade says helping him into a seat in the kitchen. Scott looks agitated so Violet swallows her pride and approaches him on the stairs.

“You can talk to me,” Violet reminds him.

“So, you can give me another list of reasons you don’t trust me?” Scott asks.

“I trust you, you don’t trust me, that’s what hurts Scott,” Violet says.

“Ask me anything else, anything at all and I’ll tell you, just not this, can I have, just this?” Scott asks. Violet doesn’t say anything for a moment and takes a seat on a lower step. Scott, watching her, does the same.

“What is Stiles drunk mumbling about?” Violet asks.

“He was trying to cheer me up, about Allison, more girls in the sea,” Scott says.

“Fish in the sea,” Violet says.

“What I said,” Scott says. “He started talking about Lydia.”

“Doesn’t he always?”

“Then he started talking about you, and realised how that sounded, so he is drunkenly rambling about how he doesn’t think of you like that and how Jade is cool, and how he thinks Lydia’s hair is the perfect shade of strawberry blonde,” Scott sighs.

“You aren’t drunk,” Violet says.

“No, I am not,” Scott says.

“You’ll get her back, Scott, you two are good together,” Violet says.

“I thought you are supposed to hate me and defend your friend and her choice,” Scott says.

“Allison makes her choices, and I respect them, but I know you, and I know what you are like, and I have seen you two together, you’ll get her back,” Violet says. “You two, are good together, it’s a rare thing.”

“How have you found, in an attempt to comfort me, a way to insult Jackson still?” Scott asks. Violet chuckles.

“Well, there are brains in there,” Violet says knocking on Scott’s skull.

“I may not be passing chemistry, but I’m not dumb.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

Stiles is watching Jade as pours him a glass of water. She places it in front of him and he just smiles at her. “How much have you had to drink sweetie?” Jade asks.

“Some Jack,” Stiles says. Jade smiles softly, and sits next to him. “You’re cool Jade.”

“I know, but thank you,” Jade says. “How much did you drink, not what, but how much?”

“Some,” he says. “I am a little drunk.”

“I know,” Jade says, placing the glass of water in his hand. He smiles at her.

“You’re nice to me,” he says.

“Are people not normally nice to you?”

“Not girls,” he says, “except for Violet, but Violet doesn’t really count.”

“What about your family?” Jade asks. He shakes his head.

“I don’t have any women in my family anymore, not since my mum died,” he says, drinking the water. Jade doesn’t know what to say to that, she places her hand over his and tries to find the words. “Lydia doesn’t even know I exist, what is it about me that makes me non-existent?”

“Maybe it’s the clothes,” Violet jokes from the archway.

“What’s wrong with my clothes?” Stiles asks.

“Go away, you’re the worst person to deal with the drunk, go,” Jade says. Violet raises her hands in surrender and walks away.

“What’s wrong with my clothes?” Stiles asks again, pulling at his shirt.

“Stiles, maybe the blazer is a bit much, maybe some plaid or… anyway,” Jade says placing a hand on Stiles face and bringing his attention back to her. “Can I get you anything?”

“An understanding of women?” he asks. Jade laughs.

“I can’t help you there,” Jade says.

“But you’re a girl, you’re smart and you’re pretty, you’re a lot like her in many ways,” Stiles says, nearly falling off the chair.

“A lot like who?” Jade asks, trying not to take too much from what drunk Stiles is saying.

“The most amazing girl I have ever met,” Stiles says, “the girl of my dreams, five ft three, strawberry blonde, so… smart… so… out of my league.”

“Lydia?” Jade asks. Stiles snaps out of the ramble and smiles.

“Lydia,” he says. “Yes. But she is dating Jackson…”

“Jackson is a toe of a man,” Jade says. Stiles eyes light up.

“He is, isn’t he?”

“You’re much better than Jackson,” Jade says.

“I’ve been in love with Lydia since the third grade,” Stiles says. Jade watches him, the way his eyes change when he talks abut her, the things he notices, the way he smiles. It’s so clear how Stiles cares for her, how much of a better man Stiles Stilinski is than Jackson, and it is beyond Jades understanding as to why Lydia, even with all her reputation and pride, could overlook him. Stiles is Jade’s type, sweet and funny and the right amount of charming, and if he wasn’t so enamored with another girl, and basically Violet’s brother, she could see Stiles being the kind of guy she would let herself fall for. So why can’t Lydia see it?

Jade listens to Stiles talk for a while, until he starts circling back around on himself. “Hey, Stiles, finish that water,” Jade says handing him yet another glass. “And then go to bed.”

“I thought I already drank this?” Stiles asks, taking the glass. Jade doesn’t respond to that, just makes sure he doesn’t drop the glass. She watches Scott as he helps Stiles up the stairs.

“Violet?” Jade asks.

“Yeah?” Violet says, she is sat on the sofa, magazine in hand.

“Stiles isn’t his name,” Jade checks.

“No, it’s what we call him,” Violet says, “or what he asks us to call him.”

“What is his actual name?”

“I, I wouldn’t bother learning it, I grew up with it and it still hurts my head,” Violet says.

“Please, tell me, I want to know.”

“If you insist…”


	19. Please Say Shopping

Violet can hear Melissa hurrying Scott for school, she is trying not to listen but the walls of the house are thin enough that it is hard not to listen. “I know this isn’t just about school, it’s about the girl, isn’t it?” Melissa asks.

“Allison,” Scott says moving out of his room.

“I know it feels like the end of the world, but I have had breakups, bad ones, really bad ones,” Melissa tries, “you can talk to me, or-,”

“He doesn’t want to hear it mum,” Violet cuts in. Melissa turns to her, Violet dressed in a red and black plaid crop top and grey frayed shorts, she decides to not comment. “And he doesn’t need to.”

“Why not?” Melissa asks. Violet throws Scott his jersey, which he catches without looking at her.

“Because he is going to get her back,” Violet smiles. Scott looks at her, at her outfit.

“Wearing five-inch heels Violet doesn’t make you look taller, whether they’re in the form of boots or not,” he says rushing down the stairs.

“And after I tried being nice,” Violet shrugs, rolling her eyes. She gives Melissa a side hug. “I’ve got my eyes on him, don’t worry, see you later.”

Melissa watches them both as Violet gets into her van, and Scott climbs into Stiles’ jeep. “Kids…”

“Your brother,” Lydia tells Violet, “is lucky we aren’t pressing charges.”

“My brother, is an idiot, but he isn’t malicious, I am sure whatever happened you misread the situation,” Violet says.

“He hasn’t told you what happened?” Allison asks. She looks at Jade who shakes her head.

“He told me things that happened,” Violet looks Allison up and down. “But not what happened.”

“I made a mistake with him, didn’t I?” Allison asks.

“I am biased,” Violet reminds her.

“You did the right thing,” Lydia tries to reassure her.

“You and Scott are good together,” Jade says. “I don’t know what happened but I know that much.”

“It’s like the arguments in my head, are happening around me,” Allison says.

“Change the topic?” Violet suggests.

“Please,” Allison agrees.

“Okay, can I suggest discussing if Allison has anything suitable for the spring formal or if we have to go shopping,” Lydia says, smiling. “I’m sure it’s shopping, please say shopping.”

“The spring formal? The dance?” Allison asks, “we have to discuss that already?”

“She currently is on the rocks with her date, bit mean,” Violet says.

“She can have a better date than your brother,” Lydia says.

“Who?” Violet asks.

“A formal, an actual formal, a spring formal,” Jade stretches out each syllable. “We really are in America, aren’t we?”

“Just set in, there’s a dance almost every season, I haven’t missed it,” Violet admits.

“What are you going to wear?” Lydia asks. “Something black?”

“Almost certainly, if I go,” Violet says, “but it depends on my date.”

“So, no shopping?” Lydia looks disappointed.

“We never said that,” Jade smiles.

“Good because I don’t believe Allison’s wardrobe is prepared for a school dance, I’ve seen it, it’s… limited,” Lydia says.

“Whereas I am sure you and Violet each have more clothes than Jade and I combined,” Allison says.

“Violet clothes threatened to overtake the dorm,” Jade says, “how she got them all on a plane I will never know.”

“Aren’t you excited, I am excited, I made first line, you are co-captain, be excited Scott,” Stiles says, beaming.

“It doesn’t mean anything, and I could practically smell the jealousy in there,” Scott says, “I hate it.”

“You can smell jealousy, like can you smell all emotions?”

“What?”

“Emotions, can you smell emotions, like love, hate, attraction?”

“Attraction?”

“Like sexual attraction, romantic attraction, arousal, you know attraction,” Stiles says.

“From Lydia?” Scott sighs.

“Not specifically,” Stiles tries.

“From Lydia, to you,” Scott says.

“Fine, yeah from Lydia,” Stiles admits as Violet steps out of her class.

“Stiles, I don’t have time for this,” Scott says.

“I need to know if I have a chance with this girl, I have been obsessing over her since the third freaking grade,” Stiles says.

“You don’t,” Violet says tapping him on the shoulder as she passes him by.

“Thanks for the confidence,” Stiles yells at her.

“It comes form a place of love,” she says before flipping Scott off.

“What did you do to piss her off now?” Stiles asks. Scott shrugs.

“Where are you even going, you have English?” Scott yells after her. She just points further down the corridor. Where Jackson is talking to Jade.

“Going to save Jade?” Stiles asks.

“More likely save Jackson, against my better judgment,” Violet says.

Jade knows what it is that Jackson is trying to do, she can see Scott further up the corridor, Violet quickly approaching, the smiles, the way he is talking Jackson is trying to rile Scott up. She doesn’t know why exactly or how he thinks he can achieve that by talking to her, but she isn’t having any of it. “I am not going to play any part in this game you’re playing Jackson, go talk to Lydia, apologize maybe,” Jade says.

Jackson puts an arm out, so it rests next to Jade and where she stands by the lockers. “Why would I want to do that?” Jackson asks. “I just, I know you think I am an asshole and I think I need to correct that, make things right.”

“You’re going the wrong way about it if that’s your intentions,” Jade says, “but I don’t think it really is, so please, just go somewhere far away from me.”

“Jade,” Jackson tries, smiling the way he likes to smile to get his way, it doesn’t work. Jade just continues to lock her locker and head to her class. He reaches out, grabbing her shoulder and Jade, without thinking, acting on pure instinct, punches Jackson in the throat. He stumbles back into the lockers and makes a very loud sound of pain as he does. Violet steps over him to get to Jade who is holding her hands out in front of her, apologetically.

“Sorry, sorry, instinct,” Jade says.

“What the fuck Jade?” Jackson asks. Stiles and Scott can’t hide the impressed looks on their faces.

“She has been trained in self-defense, Jackson, you can’t just grab a girl, I know you seem to think you can,” Violet says. Mr. Harris who witnessed the whole ordeal approaches the three of them.

“And tragically, Miss Holland you can’t just punch your peers in the throat either,” he says, “detention, please come with me.” Jade goes to follow him and Violet walks with her. “Not you, Miss McCall, you stay here, make sure Jackson gets to the nurse.”

“What?” Violet asks.

“Just do it,” he tells her. Jade throws her a look.

“Sorry,” she says again. Violet shakes her head.

“Apologize for nothing,” she mouths, “fucker deserved it.”

Violet looks at Jackson and walks over to Scott and Stiles, leaving him where he sits, in pain and shock on the floor of the corridor. “Did you know she can do that?” Stiles asks Violet.

“Yes,” Violet says, “now if you can both pick your jaws up off the floor and turn your pupils from hearts back into their normal shape for a second, would someone kindly explain the best way I can get Jackson to not be a dick about this?”

“No luck with that,” Stiles says, “in all the years I’ve known Jackson, if he has a chance to be a dick, he will be a dick.”


	20. Jade Doesn't Judge

The discussion on Shakespeare is giving Violet a headache, and she knows it’s Shakespeare and not dehydration because Jade has already made sure she is more hydrated today than she had been in her life, looking after intoxicated Stiles reminded her how little everyone remembers to hydrate without someone prompting them. So Violet is trying to distract herself from the drab lesson, the concern for Jade after the incident with Jackson, and her concern in general, but the only distraction in the class is six ft something and sat two seats to her left and she is trying not to go there.

“What about you? Do you have a comment on Shakespeare’s tragedies, Isaac?” The teacher asks, eyes on Isaac. Violet draws her eyes away from the window, looking at him, sensing his discomfort. 

“Can you writing a happy ending please?” Isaac says. There are a few giggles from the class.

“They deserve a happy ending,” Violet says too quick, too eager, too protective, trying to bring the attention from Isaac. “But if you want happy Shakespeare, we need Much Ado About Nothing, possibly what I would consider the only happy play Shakespeare ever wrote.” Isaac looks at her.

“You seem well versed?” the teacher asks, hoping for more.

“On this tragedy, in both quality and plot or on Shakespeare in general because I fear you misjudge me?” Violet asks. Isaac smiles a little, trying to go unnoticed, but Violet notices.

“Much Ado,” the teacher says.

“Two madly in love, two who claim to despise each other and ending up through faked deaths and shenanigans, all in love and married in the end, with Beatrice being Shakespeare’s most interesting character by far and falling as a side character, of course,” Violet says.

“Shenanigans?” the teacher asks.

“Incidents that have no real consequence and work out fine, no one really pays the horrible price that most do in Shakespeare,” Violet says, “his one happy play.”

“Twelfth Night?” the teacher offers. Violet scoffs and a panic floods Stiles.

“Please don’t,” Stiles says, “she will never shut up.”

“To call Twelfth Night a happy ending would be to ignore the straight up restrictions to the narrative set by the time period it was created in, a real happy ending would see the pure homoerotic nature of the play fully exposed as it was- and I have spent too much time around Jade,” Violet says cutting herself off.

“Can I continue my class, Miss McCall, or would you like to discuss the ‘homoerotic’ nature of Shakespeare, after school?” the teacher asks. Violet blushes just a little, sinking back into her seat.

“Please, continue,” Violet says planting her face into the open play on her desk.

“You okay there?” Stiles asks. Violet groans.

“You should have stopped me, you saw it coming,” Violet says.

“You probably should have stopped Jade, you saw it coming,” Stiles retorts.

“I couldn’t if I wanted to,” Violet says.

“And you think I am capable of preventing you from doing anything?” Stiles asks. Violet shakes her head.

“I suppose not,” Violet admits. She drags herself back up to look at the board but she catches him looking at her, Isaac, for just a moment, just a glance, and it feels worth the embarrassment.

“Jackson is being overly friendly with Allison,” Stiles says.

“He is probably trying to get to Scott,” Violet says, taking a book off the shelf in the library. Stiles knows she is right, but he doesn’t understand why Violet would have come to that conclusion.

“Why?” Stiles asks.

“Making Scott co-captain, Coach made him Jacksons biggest rival, Jackson will see that as an insult on his capability, his leadership, his title, all he believes he earned is now diminished, he will blame Scott for that,” Violet says.

“You’re oddly insightful, you know that,” Stiles says.

“Nothing odd about it,” Violet says, “I grew up with you.”

“Touché,” Stiles says. “Have you heard from Jade?” Stiles is practically leaning on Violet now, very eager, very interested.

“Get off me, you weirdo,” she teases pushing him back. “Mr. Harris took her phone, I doubt we will see her until schools out.”

“Detention,” Stiles reminds her.

“Probably lunchtime and free period detention is enough, even for Mr. Harris, besides he would have to contact Jade’s parents to let them know she was being held after school, and he would have no luck with that,” Violet says, collecting her final book. “Why are you creeping Stilinski, what do you want?”

“Nothing,” Stiles defends. “I just, I am hanging out with my friend, I am inquiring about my other friend, my friend who I probably said a lot of dumb shit to while intoxicated.”

“You’re fine Stilinski,” Violet says patting his cheek. “Jade doesn’t judge.”

“But that suggests I said something to judge me about.”

Violet waits in the carpark for Jade who is fifteen minutes later out than everyone else. “Was Jackson okay?” she asks.

“Do you care?” Violet asks.

“I care that I might make Lydia mad,” Jade says. Violet shrugs.

“I left him on the floor,” she admits. Jade rolls her eyes. “You still going home?”

“She’s home for dinner tonight, I said I would be, I don’t really think she’d notice, but I like to keep my word, even if no one else bothers,” Jade says. Violet nods.

“Then let me drive you,” Violet says opening the passenger door for her. Jade climbs in. “Quick stop for a coffee or…”

“Fine.”

“You deserve it.”

“For getting detention before you?”

“For giving Jackson something to actually complain about, someone deserved to finally hit the fucker.”

“Violet, he is our friends boyfriend.”

“Doesn’t mean he isn’t a dick.”

“I agree, he is the embodiment of an itchy sweater, but what are you going to do, seemingly, Lydia has no taste.”

“Lydia would rather be with a jackass than alone,” Violet says pulling out the school parking lot.

“There are other options besides Jackson.”

“Not for Lydia.”

“What about Stiles?” Jade asks. Violet sighs.

“In a world where Lydia can see Stiles, the way he deserves to be seen,” Violet says, “in that world, Scott learns to be honest with me. So, trust me when I say Lydia is more likely to make a move on Scott than for her to realise Stiles would be good for her.”

“That’s really sad Vi.”

“I know, but it doesn’t make it any less true.”

Violet opens the door to find Stiles and Melissa talking. Stiles is holding a big gym bag in one hand and a key in the other. “A key,” Melissa says.

“I had it made,” Stiles says. Melissa nods.

“That doesn’t surprise me, scares me, but it doesn’t surprise me,” Melissa says. She turns to acknowledge Violet. “Good day?”

“A day,” Violet says.

“I’m heading to work, but there’s pasta bake in the fridge if you just want to reheat it,” she says, “no Jade?”

“Jade has other plans this evening,” Violet says. Stiles looks at Violet.

“That don’t involve you?” he asks.

“No Stiles, she does have things in her life that don’t involve me,” Violet says, “shocks me too, but it’s still true.”

“So, what are you doing tonight?” Stiles asks. Melissa looks at the both of them.

“I am going to leave you both, behave,” she says.

“I don’t like the implication,” Violet yells as Melissa shuts the front door behind her.

“What are you doing tonight?” Stiles asks again.

“Probably watching Gilmore Girls reruns and not doing my maths homework,” Violet says.

“Here?” Stiles asks, like it was a problem, like her presence was an inconvenience.

“It is my house Stiles,” Violet reminds him. “You are being extra odd today.”

“No, that’s cool,” Stiles says dropping the bag down, it makes a very loud sound as it hits the ground and Violet eyes it. “It’s homework.”

“For what class?”

“Science.”

“Did you steal some lab equipment?”

“Borrowed,” Stiles says. Violet laughs.

“How did you get into the store cupboard?”

“With the key.”

“Really, and how did you get the key?”

“That I stole,” he says. She smiles, pinches his cheek and heads towards her room.

“Don’t ever change Stiles.”


	21. Full Moon

Violet is trying to focus on her show, one earphone in, and a bowl of snacks on her desk. But the walls in the house are thin, and Stiles and Scott are arguing about something. She doesn’t care, or she pretends not to. She doesn’t want to, Scott has asked for privacy and Violet wants to give it to him, she just isn’t sure how. They didn’t have privacy as kids, and she certainly didn’t at boarding school, so she doesn’t really know how to keep out of it. No one really taught her. She was quite the opposite of Jade in that way, Jade who is always okay to not know, and often eager to. She knows what matters, she doesn’t care to known more, that’s Jade’s way. Violet feels the need to know everything, at all times, it helps her feel in control.

Jade sits in silence with her mother at the dining table, her mother checking her messages at every opportunity, not letting her phone leave her hand. Jade wonders why she bothered telling Violet she couldn’t come over tonight, her mother would not have noticed her absence, Jade doubts she even remembers that she said they would have dinner together. Jade wonders why she even agreed, why she would willingly put herself through this. Dinner with her mother is always this, this silence, this emptiness. Like the house. Like her homelife in general. Jade isn’t exactly sure where she would be if she hadn’t been the person Violet walked in to find that day. Jade doesn’t doubt Violet would have found someone to talk to, Violet was not who she is now, when she first met her, she was more timid, more insecure, quieter. But Jade has no doubt Violet would have found her own way, Violet has a resilience that the more time Jade spends in Beacon Hills, the more she starts to understand. The fact such a young child had to have that kind of resilience worries her, but it also reminds her that Violet is and always has been the kind of person who will make it out the other side. Sitting in silence with her mother, Jade could do with Violet now. Her mother, if she paid enough attention, would call it what it is, codependence. But frankly Jade doesn’t care much for that label, she doesn’t see the problem in having someone she can rely on, when she hasn’t really had that. Violet needs Jade as much as Jade needs Violet, and that is something they were both missing from their lives when they met. So much so, that Violet moved countries so she didn’t have to be a part from the person who makes her feel less strange, less out of place, more wanted. Her mother could never understand that, not even if she tried.

“Protecting you from yourself, and giving you some payback,” Stiles’ voice passes even through Violet’s headphones. Violet turns her volume up and looks at the door one last time, checking it is still shut, which it is. She hates the design of this house, there was more privacy in the dorms. “For making out with Lydia.” Violet pauses.

“Oh shit, Scott, what did you do?” Violet mumbles reaching onto her bed for her phone. She stares at it, for a while, she shouldn’t call Jade. She wants to, she really, really wants to, but she can’t, she can’t interrupt, she knows that. She clicks another number and just hopes they pick up.

“You okay Vee?” Erica asks, a happiness in her voice. “You never call.”

“Sorry,” Violet says.

“No, it’s okay, I just mean you text,” Erica says.

“People can respond in their own time if I text, I feel like I am intruding when I call,” Violet says.

“Call me anytime, I don’t have a life for you to intrude onto,” Erica says. “You sound sad, are you okay?”

“I just want a distraction,” Violet says.

“Home alone?” she asks.

“No, that’s the problem,” Violet says.

“Okay, well, I can bore you with what I am reading or I can give you the notes from Mrs. Jenkins class?”

“I was there,” Violet says.

“Not mentally, you were gone, do you even remember what the lesson was on?”

“Give me the notes.”

“Happily.”

Jade makes a point not to touch her phone for the whole dinner, not to check or even glance at it. Her mother doesn’t notice but she doesn’t say a word so, it isn’t a surprise. Jade starts to clear the table and she meets her mothers eye. Jean realizes she is obligated to say, something to her daughter so she does. “You’re doing well in school,” she says.

“I am,” Jade says.

“Not quite your grades in England across the board, but you are still settling,” Jean says.

“The system is different here, and I don’t think it’s fair to base that on maths,” Jade says.

“So, you do know where you are slipping,” Jean says. “I hope that is because you intend to work on it.”

“Of course,” Jade says, removing the last plate from the table.

“Made any friends?” Jean asks. Jade almost laughs, not just because she has actively told her, repeatedly about Scott, Stiles, Allison, Lydia and Erica but also because she is asking and that is going out of her way to pretend to be interested in something she doesn’t care about.

“Yes, I have,” Jade says. “I told you about Scott and-,”

“Right another McCall,” Jean looks up from her phone and turns to look at Jade and Jade just freezes slightly, “what brought Violet here?”

“You’re joking,” Jade mumbles under her breath. “She moved back because we did.”

“But why,” Jean says. “I know when-,”

“No, Violet moved back because we did,” Jade says.

“Her mother was okay with that, that boarding school was not cheap,” Jean says turning back to her phone.

“Melissa never really wanted Violet to go, so she was happy she was home,” Jade sighs putting the dishes in the sink.

“When why send her?” Jean asks.

“Like I told you, Violet had an inheritance riding on it,” Jade says.

“So, at work,” Jean starts, making it clear any effort put into taking interest in Jade’s life is now, very much over. Jade just lets her talk, about work, about the company, about the difficulties and the phone calls. How much hard work and effort is going into making this move work. Jade nods and occasionally hums a response, but she is tuning it out now, the same copy paste small talk that her mother makes with her, it gets boring and repetitive and somewhat painful after enough time of it. Jade thought, that maybe given how long she had been away at school, that moving to Beacon Hills she might pretend to want to know about Jade’s life a little more, for a little while, but it is just the same as it has always been. Jade giving all she has the energy to give in a relationship with her parents, where her father isn’t around and her mother thinks she doesn’t try.

“Do you think you’ll be allowed?” Violet asks. She hears a rustling on Erica’s end, and she remembers the sound, Erica is getting her many blankets and curling up under a sofa cushion, like when they were kids. Erica’s house is a little colder than it should be and Erica feels the cold more than most.

“If I’m allowed to go to spring formal, I should be able to have a few hours out with my friends,” Erica says, “surely they’ll agree to that.”

“Let us know, Jade has been pestering me to get you to come out with us,” Violet says. She can almost hear the smile on Erica at that.

“I like Jade, she is really nice,” Erica says. “I don’t think I have known anyone to make that kind of effort for me before.”

“Jade cares, a lot,” Violet says, “she is a good person, they are rare.”

“She asked if I had allergies so she could bring me baked goods the day I had off school,” Erica says.

“I know, I had to drive her six miles to get the right flour,” Violet laughs.

“I missed you,” Erica says.

“I missed you too,” Violet says.

“I’m grateful for Jade, not only is she nice enough to be my friend, but she got you to come back, and I thought you wouldn’t remember me, but you two, you make me feel less out of place,” Erica says, “am I getting too soppy now?”

“Not at all,” Violet says. Violet looks at the time. “Erica, you should go to bed, I am keeping you up.”

“I like your company,” Erica says.

“We don’t want you to miss out on sleep, you need your sleep, for your health,” Violet says softly. “We can chat more tomorrow, but I don’t want to be responsible for you feeling unwell.”

“Fucking illness,” Erica says.

“Wow, big girl swear words, how you’ve grown,” Violet teases.

“Goodnight Violet,” Erica says.

“Take your meds, make sure you have some magnesium, get your rest, goodnight Erica,” Violet says and listens to the phone as the sound of Erica hanging up leaves static. Erica has had epilepsy since they were young, as young as Violet remembers, and what Violet knows is that it hasn’t gotten any better in the time she spent in England, so she still worries, that all the things that hurt Erica as a child, could still hurt her now.

“She kissed me, Stiles, I didn’t kiss her, she kissed me” echoes through the house, grabbing Violet’s attention in a way she can’t ignore. She puts her phone down and swings her door open, loudly. Stiles is in the corridor, leaning against the wall, he sees her and the sadness in his face is replaced by panic.

“Scott David McCall,” Violet snaps. “I don’t give a shit what you two are arguing about, but you stepped out of line,” Stiles comes between Violet and Scott’s room as she is about to storm in.

“You can’t go in there,” Stiles says. Stiles being a hundred and forty-seven pounds of pale skin and fragile bone, trying to step between anyone and anything would be amusing, but Violet being as small as she is, but as fierce as she is, finds it even more amusing.

“Firstly,” Violet says, “I could literally snap you, you think I spent three years with Jade, who is self-defense trained and I learned nothing? And secondly, I am on your side, jackass.”

“I can’t let you in there,” Stiles says. She can see the sadness, in his face, in his eyes, the hurt, the way Scott has gotten to him over this time they have been arguing, and she can’t stand it. Stiles is the bundle of joy she grew up with, every moment that wasn’t a panic attack, was undiagnosed ADHD chaos, he was always joking, always making smart-sarcastic remarks. It was dragging her into the woods at ten am, when they were eleven to try and catch a glimpse of a bear. It was sneaking around the station trying to get glimpses into case files. It was too much mountain dew and day-old delivery pizza and bad reruns of black and white detective shows. She always hurt more seeing Stiles sad than she did with her own pain. Stiles was everyone’s distraction, everyone’s hope, everyone’s jester and when he was in pain, she felt it.

“Why do you let him make you feel like that,” Violet says putting a hand on Stiles chest, “and you still protect him.”

“He needs protecting,” Stiles says. Violet nods.

“You’re right about that,” Violet says as she ducks under Stiles and slips into the room. Stiles turns to stop her but she is in the room, and in the darkness, she can see the open window, and the broken handcuffs on the floor, the loose chain, and the room only lit by the light of the full moon. “He jumped out the window to get away from me?”

“Oh no,” Stiles says picking up the broken pieces of the handcuffs.

“Fucking coward,” Violet mumbles. She turns to Stiles, who looks worried, very worried. “Why is there handcuffs?”

“Violet, I wish I could explain this to you,” Stiles says, “because honestly, I think you deserve to know, but right now, I have to find your brother.”

Violet sits on the doorstep, waiting. She watched Stiles get in the Jeep and drive away and he looked so worried, and she can’t help but start to catastrophize. What can her brother be hiding from her that makes Stiles Stilinski that on edge? Stiles Stilinski, the boy who goes out looking for bodies. His worry infects her so deeply that she can feel her hands start to shake. Violet isn’t afraid of much. Her history of panic attacks and nightmares don’t work in her favour in arguing that with Jade, but for anyone else they would say she fears little to nothing. Only loss and rejection, which Violet will always point out, are valid fears. Ration fears.

She hears a bump up stairs and a thought crosses her mind. The coward is probably going to come back in the way he left. So she walks straight inside and up the stairs and doesn’t wait to open the door, she just opens it and sees Derek Hale and her brother stood in his room.

“Violet,” Scott says. Derek looks at her.

“Hello again,” Violet says to him before walking up to Scott and shoving him, as hard as she can, he stumbles back into the wall and Derek raises an eyebrow but says nothing. “I don’t give a shit about your excuses, about your reasoning, I don’t even fucking care where you went tonight. Because right now, after what happened with Stiles, you don’t fucking exist to me until you make it right.” She leaves as quickly as she entered but she doesn’t make it all the way to her room before she can feel the walls closing in, she leans on the banister and she can hear Derek close Scott’s door. She wants an answer, she wants many answers, she wants to know why Derek Hale is in her house, why he, a suspected murderer, is around her brother and why her brother has nothing to say about it. But she is just mostly mad, so mad she thinks she could cry, so she bites her lip and digs her nails into her palm, trying to steady her breath.

“Is she listening?” Scott asks, quiet enough that Violet can’t hear. Derek listens but shrugs.

“You owe her an explanation, she isn’t your mother Scott, she is around, she notices, and she will find out, best she finds out from you,” Derek says. “Before something happens to her.”

“Are you seriously threatening my sister right now?” Scott asks.

“I am not threatening you Scott, I am warning you,” Derek says, “coming from someone who has lost all his family, don’t risk it.”


	22. Milkshakes

“I’m sorry,” Scott says to Stiles again.

“I’m not even mad about that right now,” Stiles says, “do you know what I am mad about? The fact your sister isn’t talking to me.”

“Violet isn’t talking to you?” Scott asks, “she isn’t talking to me until I make things right with you. Why isn’t she talking to you?”

“Because she is still mad that you’re keeping things from her, especially after what happened. She saw Derek in your house Scott, Derek the suspected murderer. She wants answers and I am complicit in lying to her,” Stiles says.

“She won’t stay mad at you for long, she never has.”

“Scott, I think she can stay mad about this,” Stiles says, “and what if she gets Jade mad at us too?”

“Jade has her own mind,” Scott points out. “And Violet makes a point of not telling Jade things she doesn’t need to know.”

“Yes, but Violet makes a good argument and what if she considers, my brother and his best friends are acting like assholes, a need-to-know thing?” Stiles points out.

“Then I am never getting Allison back, you have even less of a chance with Lydia and my sister can actively ruin are lives.”

“I was hoping you’d have something positive to say.”

“My sister, who currently hates me, is having lunch with the girl I am trying to get back together with, I am all out of positivity right now Stiles, I am simply trying to stay afloat.”

Violet takes a seat with Jade and Lydia, who is sat between Jackson and Allison, is already talking about something Violet isn’t listening to. She is thinking about Scott and all the things he could be so desperate to keep from her. The diner isn’t particularly busy considering it’s lunchtime and Jade wonders about how many people are actually in Beacon Hills that this place, only a few miles from their high school, could be so quiet.

“You know what,” Violet says turning to Allison. “My brother is a douchebag and you deserve better.” Allison laughs a little awkwardly.

“She and Scott are fighting,” Jade explains looking at the menu.

“I mean, he showed you up, he lied, then there is that business with Derek Hale,” Lydia sighs. Jackson is quick to change the conversation, a little too quick that Violet looks at him for too long, trying to figure out what he is acting so strangely about. She thinks to ask him but changes her mind as a pretty girl walks in to collect some milkshakes for her and friends.

Violet nudges Jade and points out a girl collecting her drinks, Jade nods. “She is… hot,” Jade says laughing. Jackson eyes them both.

“Wait, I know she’s… unpredictable, but are you gay or something?” Jackson asks Jade.

“I can recognize attractive features without being attracted to someone Jackson, I can appreciate a woman aesthetically without being gay, I think regardless of gender, that of your own or the other person, you can acknowledge when someone looks good. I’m sorry if your fragile masculinity and weak mind has you conditioned into believing that recognizing beauty in other humans is defined by sexual attraction and that reflects upon your own identity,” Jade says. Violet is biting her tongue but Jackson looks stunned. “Also, yes, I like girls as well.”

“I am going to get some milkshakes, anyone want anything?” Violet asks getting out of her seat.

“Strawberry,” Lydia says without hesitation. Jade doesn’t even respond because she knows Violet knows the answer and a wink from Violet to her only confirms it. Violet watches Allison who keeps glancing at her phone, waiting for a text or something from Scott, one that isn’t coming.

“Allison?” Violet asks.

“Chocolate,” she says, “sorry I was, somewhere else.”

“Okay,” Violet nods.

“I’ll help,” Jackson says following Violet to the counter.

“I don’t need your help, go sit down,” Violet tells him but he just continues walking beside her.

“I want to ask you something,” he says after the woman behind the counter takes the order.

“What do you want Jackson?” Violet sighs.

“I need to ask you about your brother, about his situation,” Jackson says. Violet looks at him.

“Which one, the fact he is a jackass, the fact he is failing in both classes and romance, what are we talking here?” Violet asks. Jackson smiles in a coy way that makes Violet a little uncomfortable.

“No, the other thing,” Jackson says.

“What other thing?” Violet asks.

“Don’t bother trying to lie about it to me Violet, I know, and I want in,” Jackson says.

“I genuinely don’t know what you are meaning Jackson,” Violet says, picking up the first of the milkshakes.

“Violet, come on,” Jackson reaches for her and then remembers the incident with Jade. Violet watches him recoil before touching her.

“Good thing you changed your mind Jackson, because that would have been an awful waste of my banana milkshake if you had actually tried to grab me,” Violet warns him.

“I just, we are friends, aren’t we?”

“No, we are almost as far from being friends as you can imagine being,” Violet says.

“How about a trade, I’ll tell you about your broken toy if you tell me how Scott got what he did,” Jackson says.

“I don’t know what you think I know Jackson, but my brother has been lying to me since I got back to Beacon Hills, so trust me when I say, you’re barking up the wrong tree,” Violet says. “Oh, and Jackson, I don’t want to hear a single thing about another person from your mouth, I prefer a reliable source.”

Violet and Jade head from their hangout almost straight to the hospital, Jade having prepared food to bring Melissa at work. Jade asks the receptionist where they could find Melissa while Violet wonders around a little, glancing in rooms.

“Just bruising, nothing is broken,” one of the doctors says.

“So, I can still play?” comes a voice Violet recognizes.

“Yeah, you can still play, but you have to be more careful Isaac, this is the third time I have had you in here in the last month. I don’t understand how you make it through a game when your clumsy like this,” the doctor says, he is trying to laugh off the pain Isaac is clearly in. “Just some painkillers and some rest. When is your game?”

“Next week,” Isaac says.

“You’ll be fine,” the doctor says, “just be more careful cleaning the pool next time.”

“Yeah,” Isaac says, he looks up and sees through the open door, Violet hovering slightly, half out of view. He can’t be sure if she saw him, he can’t be sure she noticed him at all. She has, she did and she was listening. “Violet?” he asks, but before she can hear him or respond, he sees Jade grab her arm and pull her away.

“Earth to Violet?” Jade asks. She tugs on a chain on her jacket. “Hey, Edge Lord, you here?”

“Yeah,” Violet says.

“Your mother is upstairs, come on,” Jade says, “what distracted you so much?”

“I just… I thought I saw someone I knew,” Violet says.

“And did you?”

“Yeah, I did.”

“Well, I really thought that might be going somewhere, glad you shared,” Jade jokes, taking her hand. “Come on, see your mother, and then we have that chemistry reading to do, else we actually risk being held back and Lydia personally killing us.”


	23. What Did You Hear?

“Like time when the sprinklers went off and I was wearing a white shirt and no bra and had to stand outside in the cold for an hour, I got like fifty texts that night,” Jade is telling a story about boarding school. Stiles is doing what he used to doing at this point, and trying to figure out if Jade and Violet are joking or if they aren’t. It’s something that only he is bothering to try and learn, considering the others don’t really get Violet and Jade’s humour, at all, but Stiles with his love of sarcasm and generally confusing others, is determined to figure them both out.

“I remember that,” Violet says snapping off a piece of chocolate and handing it to Lydia who is not paying enough attention to the story, but is aware enough to realise she is being handed dark chocolate and takes the piece without thinking.

“I hardly expect you to forget, I’m hot” Jade says with a smile. “Aren’t I Stiles?”

“What?” Stiles asks, suddenly on the spot. Jade laughs at the surprise in his face, the initial reaction being all the amusement she had needed. Violet however, is yet unsatisfied.

“Jade is hot, isn’t she?” Violet continues.

“I mean,” Stiles says, “yes.”

“Yes?” Violet changes her tone, sounding almost insulted, “and you think that’s an okay term to quantify her as a person, because she is pretty, she has value?” Stiles goes pale. “I’m kidding. We all know she is hot, we know you aren’t a complete idiot.”

“You’re going to give me a heart attack Violet,” Stiles warns her. He sees Scott walking across the courtyard and he knows he should go, but glad that Violet is talking to him again and Jade seems completely unchanged in her opinion of him he doesn’t want to rush.

“Just go,” Jade tells him. “I’ll stop her from seething too much.”

Stiles rushes off to meet Scott and Violet rolls her eyes. “Idiots,” she mumbles.

“Boys in general or just those two?” Lydia asks, paying attention again.

“Boys in general, nasty creatures the bunch of them,” Violet says.

“Unless they’re like six foot tall and with big blue eyes,” Jade says.

“I just think there is an irony in acting small, when he is over six feet fall,” Violet says.

“He does seem shy, I will give you that,” Jade says.

“Who are we talking about?” Allison asks.

“No one, really,” Violet says, “how are you feeling today Allison?”

“Confused, a little stressed out, coping,” Allison says.

“We really just need to stop to take our minds off it,” Lydia says.

“Are you really back on spring formal again?” Violet asks.

“You may not care about dances Violet McCall but some of us know how to make the most out of high school,” Lydia points out.

“And school dances are really involved in that?” Jade asks.

“More than you know,” Lydia says. “Now I have extracurricular.”

“Of course you do, you mad scientist,” Violet says. Lydia smiles at them all and leaves. “She still scares me a little.”

“She has the best intentions,” Allison says watching her go, “I think.”

Violet shuts the locker door and stares at the lock. Her hands aren’t steady and her mind is buzzing with concerns and possibilities. “Allison,” Violet says, “am I a bad friend?”

“No,” Allison says, “why, why would you say that?”

“I think I am just so wrapped up in everything I miss a lot,” Violet says. “I am worried about how Jade is settling and I am worried about how you are doing, I haven’t even asked about your aunt staying over and how that’s going, I feel like I am just-,”

“Violet we know you care, even if you don’t ask questions all the time,” Allison says. “We are all friends with Lydia aren’t we, we know the levels of shown affection may vary.” Allison laughs a little. “I do think you worry a lot, maybe a little too much but-,”

“But?” Violet asks. Allison’s eyes are on something behind her. Violet looks over her shoulder to see Jackson and Scott talking. “Oh.”

“I’m sorry, I hate to be that person, but can I?” Allison asks.

“You don’t want to see him, I do not blame you, run for the hills, I will catch you after swim class,” Violet says nudging her away.

“Thank you,” she says as she disappears into the crowd.

Violet hovers, waiting until Jackson leaves to try and approach Scott, but Stiles appears almost out of nowhere before she can, so she just takes a deep breath and tries to walk past them both. “He threatened to tell Allison if I didn’t tell him how to get it, and on top of that, I still have to get Allison’s necklace, how do I even do that?” Scott says. Violet stops, spins on her heels and knocks into Stiles as she moves to stand with them.

“You need to learn to whisper better,” Violet says.

“Why? What did you hear?” Scott asks.

“Jackson is being as much of a dick to you as he was when I had lunch with him, he seemed to think I knew something about you, which obviously I don’t,” Violet glares at him.

“But Jackson does,” Scott says.

“Glad to know I am even after Jackson Whittemore on the priority list,” Violet says. She notices Scott balling his fist, and she also notices the dent in the locker at exactly fist height.

“I didn’t exactly want Jackson knowing,” Scott says.

“Jackson knowing what?” Violet asks. He looks at her.

“Just tell her,” Stiles says. Scott says nothing.

“Fine, don’t tell me, but just so you know, I could get Allison’s necklace for you, I don’t know why you need it, and I know she won’t part with it easily. But I could get it and she wouldn’t have to know, I could probably sneak it back too before she knew it was gone, if that’s what you wanted,” Violet says.

“You would do that for me?” Scott asks.

“I could do that for you,” Violet says, “but I have a condition.”

“Violet I can’t tell you-,”

“Derek Hale,” Violet says, “keep your fucking secret, I don’t care, but tell me why Derek Hale was in my house?”

“Violet I can’t,” Scott says. Violet sighs.

“Fine, good luck Scott, hope nothing stands in your way,” Violet says closing Scott’s locker and leaving.

“You know Scott, sometimes I wonder if you have a brain at all,” Stiles says. “Like at all.”

“Violet McCall, taking part in gym class,” Lydia says acting shocked as Violet walks into the changing rooms.

“I took archery in England, American sport is boring, team orientated, over the top and more often than not, violent, I don’t need it,” Violet says, “besides I like to swim.”

“Archery isn’t violent?” Lydia asks.

“It doesn’t have to be,” Violet says.

“I agree with that,” Allison chips in, “archery is an art form as much as a hunting skill.”

“You do archery?” Jade asks.

“I would say it’s embarrassing but I feel Violet would take disliking to that,” Allison says.

“Archery is very cool,” Jade says. “I admire that you have the dedication for it, and the steady hand. Violet uses it as an outlet for rage.”

“I use a lot of things for an outlet for rage,” Violet says, “archery is just one of the cooler ones.”

“Lydia your swimsuit is the cutest fucking thing,” Violet says looking at the orange polka dots.

“I know, right.”

Violet spends most the time in the pool besides Lydia and Jade, not really partaking in the activities aspect of the lesson, while Allison does lengths beside Jackson. “Beacon Hills actually had a pretty good swim team a few years back,” Lydia says. “No one is really as good as we used to be, hence the big focus on lacrosse.”

“You know with your knowledge you’d think you’d be a cheerleader or something,” Violet says.

“Beacon Hills doesn’t do cheer, else I would be, and I’d be the best,” Lydia says.

“I don’t doubt it,” Jade smiles. Violet is watching Jackson, the way he is talking with Allison, it makes her weary, she doesn’t trust him at all, not with a single cell in her body, and no matter how mad she is at Scott right now, him threatening her brother makes her blood boil.

Violet glances at the stands and sees Scott, and she knows what he is doing and despite her urge to intervene, to make his life as hard as she can, she says nothing. She wants answers, she wants him to trust her, but maybe, she has to earn that. She thought she had, maybe she was wrong.


	24. Fourteen

“I know but it’s chemistry,” Violet whines. “I hate it. I hate it almost as much as Biology.”

“You just don’t like science,” Lydia says, handing her a book for revision.

“Science takes the magic out of things,” Violet says.

“That’s because magic isn’t real,” Lydia reminds her.

“Oh, and neither is love or romance,” Violet says sarcastically.

“Just chemicals,” Lydia says, ignoring the tone and stating the facts. Her phone buzzes and it echoes in the already rather empty Beacon Hills High library. Lydia opens her text and Violet watches the change in her face, her eyes darken and she goes the smallest amount paler, her bottom lip parts just a little and temporarily before she starts to pout. “Okay,” she huffs, “that has to be a misunderstanding.”

“What does?” Violet asks.

“I think Jackson just tried to breakup with me,” Lydia says.

“Jackson tried?” violet asks.

“Via text,” Lydia says.

“Tried to breakup with you?” Violet asks. Violet doesn’t understand how a person could try to breakup with someone, but Lydia interrupts it as Violet suggesting Jackson was out of bounds trying to break things off with Lydia. Violet thinks he is, he has no personality and isn’t even that good looking, so Lydia is already well out of his league. No other girl like Lydia lacks the self-respect to date a boy like Jackson, so it’s stupid, clearly. But Violet is mostly caught up on the ‘tried’ aspect.

“I am not being dumped by the co-captain of the lacrosse team,” Lydia says, “you’re right, the audacity.”

“Yes,” Violet nods agreeingly, still a little confused at what is happening. “The audacity.”

“Sharpen your eyeliner and come with me,” Lydia says. Violet stays exactly where she is. Lydia sighs. “I am sorry, I meant, please come with me Violet, for moral support, I love your outfit.”

“Don’t push it Lydia,” Violet says following her, knowing if Lydia finally slaps Jackson in his smug face, she wants to see it.

“Oh, by text,” Jade says. Violet quickly realizing the damage she has caused by giving Jade this information. “So, he wants to die? He chose literal death? Interesting choice from him by okay.”

“I doubt we could get away with it,” Violet says, “but I am down to try. Lydia didn’t seem too cut up by it, I mean, she at least tried to not be.”

“She is a goddess, with that face and… Jackson is an idiot… a pure, cut idiot… If we had an alibi,” Jade says, “and I mean, Stiles hates his guts, he is the sheriff’s son, we probably could get away with it.”

“Jackson’s parents wouldn’t let us get away with it,” Violet says.

“They raised that monster, we should probably kill them too,” Jade points out.

“Poison?” Violet asks.

“I was thinking a bloodier death personally,” Jade says.

“Like cut out his heart and feed it to him, Aztec style or like death by a thousand cuts?” Violet asks.

“I like the first idea,” Jade admits.

“But we have to plan it carefully,” Violet admits. “And I hate the idea of spending more time with him.”

“We can observe the target from a distance?” Jade says, “which fits nicely with… what I have to ask.”

“What do you have to ask?”

“So… to get onto yearbook I have to submit some school photos as a portfolio example,” Jade says.

“They’re that picky on the yearbook team?” Violet asks.

“And since the school is so big on lacrosse, I need some lacrosse photos,” Jade says, “and since Jackson is captain, we can plan to kill him if-,”

“No,” Violet says quickly, “no, no, no, no. Not a chance Jade, not a single, single chance.”

“Come on, it’s going to be dark,” Jade says.

“I’m not going to a lacrosse game, no, not a chance,” Violet says.

“Even to boo Jackson?”

“No.”

“For me,” Jade pleads.

“Don’t make me,” Violet says, pouting.

“I heard Isaac made first line,” Jade says, pulling out the ace card. Violet scowls.

“You… fine.”

“Thank you,” Jade says smiling.

“Don’t, you mean, mean, meanie, you can’t just use the pretty boy against me like that,” Violet says.

“The evidence would suggest otherwise.”

Violet, wrapped up in her long red coat and with Jade on her arm walks across the stands like she would want to be, literally anywhere else, rather than here. They spot Allison who is sat with her aunt and her dad to the side. She waves at the both of them, a little surprised at their presence, they wave back but keep making their way forward. Jade wants to get a better view of the field.

“Violet McCall,” Danny says from the bench, “as I live and breathe?”

“I am here against my will,” Violet reassures him. Jade starts to set up her camera and she meets eyes with the only other person around with a camera. Matt Daehler, who Violet recognizes and immediately looks away from.

“Why are you here?” Danny asks.

“She wants to make yearbook,” Violet says.

“Not here to cheer your brother on?” Danny teases.

“Do I look like a cheerleader to you?” Violet asks. “Besides if I was cheering anyone on, it would not be Scott.”

“He is one of our best players,” Danny says.

“Still a dumbass,” Violet says.

“I agree with that,” Danny says. Violet turns to speak to Jade when she realizes she has moved further along the bench and approaching player fourteen.

“Danny, who is fourteen?” Violet asks.

“Lahey,” Danny says, “it says on the shirt.”

“Isaac Lahey?” Violet asks. Danny nods.

“Why?” he asks.

“I’m going to kill her,” Violet says, moving to stand with Jade.

“It’s Isaac, right,” Jade says. He nods.

“Yeah,” he says not understanding at all why Jade is talking to him.

“I’m Jade,” she says as Violet moves beside her, stepping on her foot as she does, but Jade doesn’t flinch, “and this is Violet.”

“I hate you,” Violet whispers, “I hate you, I actually hate you. Curse you, curse your… something, curse your something Jade.” Jade nods, ignoring her.

“Hi…” Isaac says.

“She’s been stalking you,” Jade says, dropping from Violet’s grip. “She thinks you’re cute.”

“Lucky me,” Isaac says without thinking. The realization dawns on him of what he says and he looks down. 

“I need to go take photos,” Jade says leaving Violet stood, alone, on the stands, with Isaac.

“Sorry about that,” Violet says, “Jade has…literally no boundaries.”

“It’s okay,” Isaac says.

“We have English together,” Violet says.

“And chemistry, we have chemistry together too,” Isaac says.

“We do?” Violet asks.

“Yeah, you do,” Jade yells. Violet pretends not to hear her.

“I sit at the back, you sit with Lydia, I am not surprised you didn’t notice,” Isaac says.

“I am,” Violet says, “I tend to notice you a lot.” Violet wants to kick herself for saying that, she feels thirteen again, unable to flirt or even look at the boy. Before Isaac gets a chance to respond he called for the game.

Violet sits down on an empty row, head in hands. Jade moves to sit beside her. “So…” Jade tries.

“Don’t,” Violet warns her. “Please, I just… don’t.”

Jade looks at the photos she tried to take pre-game of Scott as the game starts. “No, no, no,” Jade mumbles.

“You’re obsessed with the perfect photo Jade,” Violet reminds her.

“Have you seen the framed photos in my house? They all look wrong, someone has to learn how to take photos properly,” Jade says. “But something just is off, I thought it was where I was standing with the flood lights, but my camera just doesn’t like your brothers face.”

“I don’t blame your camera,” Violet says leaning over to look at the photos. She takes the camera from Jades hands for a better look, all the photos, the right reflects off Scotts eyes, like animals under torchlight. “It just doesn’t like his eyes,” Violet says passing the camera back.

“I guess they’re just too pretty,” Jade jokes.

“Ew, no, shut up,” Violet says.

“Yours are pretty too.”

“Damn right they are.”

“Shame Stiles isn’t playing I thought he was supposed to be,” Jade says, adjusting the lens. Violet looks around, noticing he isn’t on the bench either, or amongst the crowd.

“No, he said he was, his first game…” Violet says. She sees Noah in the crowd, also looking for Stiles.

“I would’ve thought playing or not he would be here,” Jade says snapping a few more photos of the game.

“He would be,” Violet says, pulling her phone out. “So why isn’t he?”

When the game finishes Violet, who is worried about Stiles’ absence but isn’t letting it show, turns to Jade with a small smile. “You go see Allison, find out how Lydia is doing, I am going to have a word with my brother,” Violet says getting up.

“Okay, see you in a minute?” Jade asks.

“I’ll find you,” Violet reassures her. She walks over the field and she sees the number as she makes her way towards the changing rooms. Fourteen. “Keep walking Violet, keep walking,” she tells herself.

“Hey,” Danny says stopping her in her tracks. “How much do you wish you were somewhere else?”

“It wasn’t hell,” Violet says, she nudges his arm, “you played really well.”

“Thank you,” Danny says, “it was nice to have you here.”

“I’ll probably be bullied into coming again,” Violet tells him, letting her eyes wander to Isaac, who is stood holding his helmet and talking to another player. “The eye candy isn’t awful either.”

“Lahey?” Danny asks.

“One word Danny and I will have your-,”

“I won’t say a thing,” Danny says, walking away, hands held up in defence. “Not a thing.”

“You better not,” she tells him.

Violet walks into the boys changing room, unbothered and uncaring about the location. She needs to find Scott, but she can hear his voice, and he isn’t alone. “It’s Peter, Peter Hale.”

“I know,” Stiles says.

“What’s Peter Hale?” Violet asks stepping out of the shadows. “And if either of you tell me one more lie, I will cut you both open with a butter knife and trust me, that shit will be painful.”

“The real killer,” Scott says, “Derek is innocent it’s his uncle.”

“If Derek was innocent why-,”

“Because it’s easy to hide him from people that don’t want the truth out there than to try and explain the truth,” Scott says.

“So… you’re playing detective?” Violet asks, looking at Stiles now. “Where have you been all night?”

“With Peter Hale,” Stiles says. Scott glares at him. “I don’t want to lie to her, you might, but I don’t want to.”

“The thing you want to know about Violet, it is really dangerous and that is why I don’t want to tell you,” Scott says, “I don’t want to keep secrets, I don’t want you to feel like I am pushing you away. But I am being your big brother and I am making hard choices and the hardest one I have to make is lying to you, to keep you safe, so please, please just let me keep you safe.”

“When I stay up waiting for Stiles, who looked like someone was dying when he ran out of our house, to come home, because he can’t tell me why he is scared. When I find Derek Hale in my classrooms, in hallways, looking for you. When I hear his name on the news and then find him in your bedroom, and you’ve got dirt on your clothes and there’s things you think I don’t notice but I do, notice, I don’t feel very safe Scott, I don’t feel very protected. So, you can tell yourself, you are doing it to protect me, you may have the best of intentions Scotty, but you’re just leaving me scared and alone, and forcing Stiles to do the same,” Violet can feel the tears building again, like they did on the full moon, so she just walks away. Leaves them both there, in the dark and goes to find the one person who always makes things make sense, who is honest and loyal and good. She goes to find Jade.


End file.
